The Amaranth
by Seventh Sage
Summary: Yugi is a mermaid merboy, who meets and falls in love with the prince Yami. He risks his live for the chance to live with his love, but would it work? Yaoi YxY!
1. My One Wish

Ari: Yea, yea, another story. 

Yugi: O_O IT'S DEPRESSING!

Ari: Not that depressing… At least, not until the ending.

Yugi: …

Ari: Anyway… Following in Sage's example, I'm also warping a fairy tale. The Little Mermaid. As most of you probably know, in the original story, the ending is very sad. Well… I'm following the original story.

Yugi: .

Ari: Buuuuuuuuuuuut… The beginning's fine. Fine-ish. Anyway! I dunno how many of you will like this. It's depressing-ish, and I put lots of descriptions. The language is purty… At least, to me.

Yugi: Yes, and there might be a le—

Ari: Not without saying the disclaimer!

Yugi: *sulks* Ari doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or else who knows what might happen. This story contains Yaoi, which is malexmale stuff. The pairings will be Yami-chan and myself. And there's a liiiiiiittle bit of SetoxJou and BakuraxRyou if you look hard enough.

Ari: Okies. Now that's done…

Yugi: And now! *grins* There shall be a lemon! Eventually.

Ari: Yep… But for now, I'm leaving the rating PG-13. When I get to the lemon part, I'll change it to R. And I'm gonna be uploading the lemon elsewhere so if some of you younger readers don't want to read icky stuff you won't have to, and so that fanfiction.net won't get mad at me…

Yugi:  So now, on to the fic! (And yea, Ari will get her other story updated eventually!)

Ari: Oooohhh, and I almost forgot! This story is dedicated to Radiany-Chan! ^_^ And here's a lil late (VERY late) Valentine's Day present to you all! (Eh, sorry it's not that great. I kinda only realized that I should draw one ON V-Day and rushed a bit.)

Chapter One My One Wish 

   Amethyst eyes gazed longingly at the lacy film of white foam, dreaming. They floated, carefree, above the water. So far... So joyous... So... Free... The sun's rays kissed them gently, and they glimmered, as if in love with the light. They did nothing for the heavy mood of their amethyst-eyed observer.

   "What wouldn't I give..." the whispered words were from a soft, rosebud mouth of a wide-eyed boy who appeared no more than eight years of age. His violet eyes glistened, though there were no tears. There never were. This was the sea, where mingled the teardrops, the dew, the... blood.

   His arms extended beseechingly, thin, graceful. His eyes, filled with the tears of the sea, the pain of the hundreds, thousands of people that have wept upon its shores, searched for something more.

   The sea held no beauty for him, for he was its beauty, though he had never thought as such. He was too innocent to be vain, to pure to know the full extent of his perfection. He was not completely flawless, of course, but he was the best they had to offer, with his silky golden bangs, soft black-and-red hair, large amethyst eyes, and milky white skin. Those hearing his voice reveled in its sweet purity, the laughing voice of a child remaining in the arms of joy for all eternity. The more fortunate ones, the ones that have seen his heart, were truly blessed, for he opened his heart to them, to envelope them in his cheerfulness, kindness, his very essence.

   But who was there to support him? Who was there, when even his seemingly-limitless happiness ran short?

   The little purple-blue tail propelled him forward, its scales shimmering in a multitude of ever-changing iridescent lights. He did not care. He wanted nothing of the beauty of the sea. His tail, scales tinkering like bells, gossamer-thin fins like wings, served only one purpose for him. His one wish, one desire, one longing, was to see the land. He wanted to know the azure sky, the snowy clouds, the gentle zephyrs that teased his hair.

   His tail flicked out again, sending rainbows to the seabed below. He did not notice. Each movement brought him closer to the surface, closer to the land of his fragile, crystalline dream, closer to the land of his forbidden enemies. He knew that he should turn back, but he could not.

   "And why can't I go?" he asked the glistening bubbles of air that were rising with him. "I am old enough. I am sixteen... Why must I stay, when they could all go? Why can my brothers and sisters be free?"

   The bubbles did not answer. They never did. Yet, he knew why. He was the Ocean Master's treasure...

   The boy raised his hand to the surface, wanting to touch the cool breeze as soon as possible. He came up, bursting into the air, waterdrops flying off like pearls, glinting silver and red in the light of the setting sun.

   "Yugi..."

   emerald eyes twinkled in laughter as amethyst eyes widened and tricolored-hair dived back into the sea. Iridescent tail followed, and the shape stayed still, under the water, peering up from under lowered lashes.

   "It's alright, little brother," the musical voice reassured. Yugi stared up through a screen of water at gold-flecked green eyes and sighed in relief. His eldest sister...

   "I want to see the human world..." he murmured softly, his sweet voice making hers seem almost rough. All eyes turned, mesmerized, as his shimmering tail rose above the water.

   The girl smiled indulgently as her brother pushed himself up tot he rocky ledge next to her, yet she shook her head, sending ripples through her sheet of silver hair.

   "You know how dangerous it is." It was a statement, not a question.

   He knew. He knew, but he still had to ask, repeating the same pattern of elusive answers and turned-away questions. Perhaps one day, he could figure them out. He needed to know. "Why is it dangerous?"

   To his surprise, she spoke plainly. It did nothing to comfort him. "Because they would try to capture you."

   "Why?"

   For a while, she regarded him, as if measuring his worth, his maturity, his understanding. She sighed, a soft, sad sound, enough to bring tears to humans' eyes, yet sounding harsh and grating next to his.

   Finally, she answered, though against her better judgment. Constantly, she needed to remind herself that he was no longer a child, however he may look like one. "Because... If they see you, they would _want_ you."

   "Want? Why would they want me?" Yugi blinked, large eyes filled with confusion. "I am not an object they could use."

   The mermaid shook her head sadly. He _was_ as innocent as he appeared, after all. _Oh, they will use you, little brother... They will use you like an object._ He would not understand the subtext of "want" and "use". She changed the subject, as she always did when he asked a question like that. He was too innocent, too pure. She wanted to protect his overwhelming innocence, his extraordinary purity.

   "I found this by the king's castle," the silver-haired girl said, pulling out a purple-red flower from amid a chain of pearls on her head. It glimmered, as if trying to make itself more presentable in front of Yugi, the beauty of the sea. Its tassel-like petals reached towards him as a wind came, making him smile.

   "What is it?" Yugi asked curiously, his eyes shining with fascination. His hands reached to touch the soft petals that looked so much like drops of blood. A petal fell past him into the sea, a ruby stain upon the pearly foam.

   "It is called an amaranth," his sister whispered. "The ever-living flower of human songs." (A/N: Just to say,  I'm not certain if that _is_ what an amaranth looks like. I've never seen a picture. My dictionary gave the description that it was red-violet, and very showy, with tassel-like petals. You'll see later why I chose this... ^_^)

   "So beautiful..." Yugi gazed to the far, distant shores, wishing he could go there. His older siblings could, yet he was forbidden to. The sea-folk valued him too much. They loved him, but their stifling love threatened to smother him.

   The emerald eyes followed the direction of the amethyst ones, to the white sails of a ship. Silver hair flipped from side to side as the girl shook her head. It was useless, she knew.

   "Please..." Yugi begged, eyes large and moist. It worked every time, just like the pattern of unanswered questions.

   "Come back before daybreak tomorrow," she murmured, sighing. Someday, harm would come to him. But he was not an object they could keep in one place. She, the one that usually took care of him when their parents were busy, understood his need for freedom. Thus, filled with worry, she let him go.

   The tricolored-hair boy zoomed happily and speedily towards the ship, the almost-gone sun behind his back. For the moment, the red-violet flower was forgotten in the excitement of seeing humans. Yugi leapt out of the water at intervals, almost resembling a dolphin. His eyes stared in amazement at the large ship, for it was unlike any he had seen before. Though all human sea-faring vessels seemed clumsy and unwieldy to him, this one held a certain air of elegance. It was made of white polished wood, gilded lightly with gold, silver, and gems. The shape was designed to cut through the water as a sharpened dagger cut through a piece of soft meat. Yugi shuddered at the image, which disappeared a moment later. His eyes turned to large white canvas sails, holding the wind. Soon... soon it would be night, and the humans would light their lanterns, the tiny pinpricks of fire twinkling, as if trying to compete with the stars above.

   Yugi turned, watching the last rays of sunlight die beneath the raging waves of the sea, and the silver-white moonbeams take their places. Suddenly, before his attention returned to the ship, a red ray of the dying sun pierced the moon's heart, and it seemed, almost, to well with blood. Swiftly, however, the ruby light drained, leaving the pale orb alone in a starless sky.

   "A child of royalty shall meet his doom," Yugi murmured the strange words that his sister had taught him. "When the moon's heart flows with blood, and the stars weep their lights away... Three days and three nights he has left, after the cock's crow." _But whose child? Who will suffer this great tragedy, who will lose their treasure? The humans... or us?_

   It did not matter much to him, in any case. Fate could not be changed. Besides, right now, his child-like interest was on the humans' ship, and the people within. It finally occurred to him that these were important people, by the richness of their clothing. The undershirts were made of silk, and the tunics of velvet. Gold and silver adorned the brightly-dressed humans.

   The bright colors, however, were many, and none really stood out. Human fabrics could not compare to the coral sparkling in the crystal sea. Metals and gems glimmered, but no more than fish scales, of which Yugi had seen plenty. What had, instead, caught the sea-beauty's eyes was a small, slight man with piercing ruby eyes. Eyes like the momentary blood moon...

   He was dressed in black, without a trace of color on his clothes. Simple silver buckles adorned his wrists, neck, and chest, having just as striking an effect as the others' bejeweled chains. Though he wore no crown, his expression of calm authority indicated to Yugi that he was the prince of the humans. His worst enemy...

   It seemed strange to Yugi that the son of the Sea King's enemy should look so similar to him, the sea-folk's most precious treasure. His curiosity was sparked even more at the fact that he felt a strange ache in his heart, something he had never experienced before. It was not actually painful, just kind of… uncomfortable. His mind kept telling him, relentlessly, that the human prince was handsome. Yugi tried to stop, but his eyes rove over the prince's chest, the muscles pushing against his tight linen shirt. His arms were bare, the muscles shifting and sliding with each movement. The light glinted over his skin, lightly tanned with a slight sheen of sweat. Yugi sighed unintentionally, he sound carrying to the ruby-eyed prince.

   The dancers stopped. A man with long violet hair and icy blue eyes walked over to the prince and whispered one word.

   "Mermaid."

   Yugi gulped and trembled, as the pale eyes stared straight at him. They were slanted, glinting. The eyes of a cold, serious fighter. The irises were like pieces of ice. There were no pupils.

   A second later, the man turned away, dark robes swishing, an emerald staff clutched in his hands. He hovered near the prince protectively, as if expecting an attack of an army.

   "If you do not hurt my Prince, Mermaid, you may stay," he invited softly. "If your intentions are harmful, I will be forced to protect him."

   Yugi remained silent, shrinking away. He was not hiding from the prince or his bodyguard in particular, but he had not wanted to be found. His sister's warning returned to his mind. _"If they see you, they will want you."_

   "Will you sing for us?"

   Yugi's head wrenched towards the source of the voice, knowing already who had spoken. The prince…The amazingly gorgeous prince… His voice was deep, beautiful, carrying a feeling of cocky confidence, but also a hint of soft gentleness. It reminded Yugi, surprisingly, of the sea, dangerous to its aggressors but loving to its friends. He hesitated. Should he sing? It was a request, not a demand…

   Yugi's voice lifted in a song that seemed appropriate. The prince asked him to sing for them, but he sang only for him… For the prince with the blood-red eyes… His worst enemy, the one his heart tugged him towards…

         In the moonlight I felt your heart 

_         Quiver like a bowstring's pulse_

_         In the moon's pure light, you looked at me_

_         Nobody knows your heart_

_         When the sun has gone, I see you_

_         Beautiful and haunting but cold_

_         Like the blade of a knife, so sharp and so sweet_

_         Nobody knows your heart_

_         All of your sorrows, grief and pain_

_         Locked away in the forest of the night_

_         Your secret heart belongs to the world_

_         To the things that sigh in the dark…_

_         Oh, the things that cry in the dark!_

   (A/N: That, by the way, was the Princess Mononoke song.)

   So engrossed were the people in the mermaid's song that they failed to notice the storm clouds coming their way. None were ready as a crack of lightning lit the sky. It flashed for no more than a mere second, its blue slashes like the heart of the fire, as if reminding the humans just how insignificant their lives were to the great fabric of time, how easily those carefully-guarded lives could be snuffed out.

   "The mermaid!" a panicked voice declared. "It tricked us! As the stories said, my Prince, it used its song to lure us into its trap. Now, we will be lost forever, our kin never discovering our unfortunate demise."

   "Nonsense!" the prince replied firmly. "The mermaid had no more to do with this than we did."

   Yugi sighed in relief, a soft sound lost in the roar of thunder. The prince's belief was so important to him… For some reason, he knew that he would have sobbed out loud had he not have the prince's approval.

   However, the violet-haired bodyguard shook his head, a hand with long, slender fingers reaching up to brush loose strands of hair from his face. "It is the Ocean Master's wrath, Your Highness. He is not pleased that his child sang for mortal ears. The lightning is not random. It is thrown intentionally at us. Ready the lifeboats, my Prince."

   The prince paled. "Surely not… The mermaid would not…"

   The man shook his head again, raising a slim arm to block the assailing rain from his face. "No, I did not say it is the mermaid's fault. It is the lord of this sea who is angry at us."

   Discussion ceased as thunder roared like brawling lions and rain fell in streams like curtains. The moon was blocked from view and for that, Yugi was glad. Its prophesizing of death was clear to him already, for he knew what he would do. He had known since he had first laid eyes on the prince. His heart afraid, Yugi looked up again to the storm-darkened sky. Lightning streaked across, looking almost like blood vessels. Yugi shivered.

   As the threads of electricity snaked towards the ship, a few lifeboats dropped down its sides, and the party-goers climbed aboard, quickly untying the ropes that held them secure and rowing away. Yugi sent his own magic to the sea, willing it to be calm, that these people may escape, but his heart was elsewhere. His wildly thumping heart was with the prince.

   Then, as the people had feared, lightning struck the ship, breaking off the central mast and setting the once-white sales aflame. Yugi gasped in fear and disbelief as the prince ushered the remaining people, most likely his greatest and most loyal friends, onto the remaining lifeboat.

   "Prince, you can't…!!" a young man with short brown hair protested. "The kingdom needs you! You need to be here…"

   "Seto…" the prince murmured. "Take care of Jou and keep him out of trouble." He turned to a youth with long white hair and a dangerous smile. "Bakura, make sure that Ryou is safe."

   The golden-haired Jou stared in fear. "No! Yami, you're the heir to the throne! You can't die!"

   "What kind of a prince would I be if I don't place my people's lives above my own?" Yami asked softly. "Take your sister home, Jou. And you, Seto, protect little Mokuba. The Sea King is upset with me, I think. He will not go after the rest of you."

   "No…!" Ryou called tearfully, trying to struggle out of Bakura's grasp, his own long, snowy hair darkened with soot, his chocolate-brown eyes filled with fear. The older white-haired teen held him close, trying to whisper comforts into his lover's ear.

   Had Yami wanted to escape, he could not now, as a bolt of lightning, with the precision of an arrow, severed the thin line that held the lifeboat to their ship. The prince watched, his face determined, as the fire began to devour his ship, coming towards him, closer each second. He watched, blood-red eyes emotionless, as his life seemed to slip away, each second another handful of sand in an hourglass. His regret and consolation was that he had never found love. He had never experienced that sweet, gentling feeling that all his friends have found, but at least he would not have someone cry over his death. Little did he know of mermaids' emotions…

   "Doushite…?" Yugi whispered. (A/N: "Why…?") "Doushite, Grandpa? I sang willingly… Why are you punishing him?" His soft voice raised into a heartbreaking wail. "Doushite?!"

   The prince turned to the beautiful, sad voice, but his eyes met nothing in the cold, uncaring night. But the voice… the voice… His eyes filled with tears as his resolve broke. Despite what he said, he did not want to die. Not yet… not without seeing the owner of that haunting voice. His greatest enemy… to whom now belonged his heart.

   "Jump into the water!" the mer-boy called, frantic. "You should not be punished for this!"

   From the dark shadows came the soft glimmer of two violet orbs, innocence shining brighter than the sun. They illuminated the gentle face, the shimmering golden bangs. Yami gasped, his eyes riveted.

   Then… then, the lightning, an executioner's blade, raced towards its target. Yami was still frozen in place.

   "IIE!" Yugi exclaimed, and bent his will towards the lightning. Against the raging anger of the Ocean King, he pitted his love, his value of precious life, and pushed the lightning aside.

   The bolt struck, not its fatal strike that would have cremated the ruby-eyed prince, but an explosion that broke the ship apart.

   The boy cried out in dismay. Had he saved the prince from lightning only to lose him to the jealous sea? The one to whom he gave his love, they would hate, he knew. But how… how could he not love this youth, when his heart tugged him so?

   Yami had a split second to register what had happened before he hit the choppy waves. He fell through the gloomy water, his mind reeling, his lungs bursting for air. The last of his breath left his mouth and he sank, unresisting. His death would save his people. He had already received his prize – the song of the mermaid.

   Blood-red eyes saw a flash of iridescent blue, shimmering more beautifully than the stars. He gasped in air as a mouth closed over his, the lips softer than the petals of the most delicate flower. Pale arms encircled him, pulled him back to life, as he gazed into amethyst eyes. Silky hair brushed his face as the lips touched his again, to give him the life-supporting oxygen that humans needed so much. Yami was mesmerized.

   After what seemed like eternity – an eternity that passed all too quickly – the two, human and mermaid, worst enemies and most beloved, surfaced. The prince sighed and rested his head unconsciously against his savior, he himself wondering what the sigh was for. Was in relief that he could breathe again? Or… was it in disappointment that those soft lips no longer touched his?

   With the prince held tightly in his arms, Yugi propelled himself towards the shore. Though he was reluctant to admit it, he enjoyed having the human close to him. His flesh, almost frozen, was starting to warm again. The boy nuzzled Yami's hair, breathing in his spicy scent, even more exotic mixed with the salty seawater. _Love…_ That word turned in his head. _Love… Do I love him?_

   There, a rock! The exhausted mer-boy tugged the prince closer to him and used a last burst of energy to bring him to the point of safety. Letting go reluctantly, he slipped back into the water to rest. How long have they been swimming? The pink flushes of dawn hinted at the horizon. It would be dawn in less than an hour.

   "Urgh…" the prince groaned, sitting up. His eyes settled immediately on the little figure peering up at him shyly, and his breath caught in his throat. Without knowing it, he ran his hand through the mass of silky hair, the last few strands of sun-gold bangs still trailing from his fingertips as he came to his senses. There was one world on his mind – _beautiful_.

   "Can you make the rest of he way to shore?" Yugi asked softly, turning away as something stung his eyes. Tears…? He wanted to stay, but that would only cause more trouble. His heart was torn at the thought that he would never again see this kind, gentle, wonderful – and absolutely gorgeous – human.

   "Yes," Yami murmured, never removing his ruby eyes from the pale-skinned beauty. Was that a crystalline tear? "Thank you… I owe you my life, Mermaid."

   The boy pulled himself onto the rock and threw his arms around the prince's neck. Yami's skin was surprisingly smooth.

   "Y-you…" The prince was shocked. "You're a boy?! I thought you were a – I mean… Oh, good grief."

   "You thought that I was a girl?" Yugi asked, feeling his vision cloud with tears. "Is that the reason you…" His voice trailed off. Of course. He had never considered that the prince might not love him. Everyone else did. A crystalline drop wended its way down his cheek.

   Yugi looked up as a gentle hand caressed his skin, his eyes meeting sincere ruby. Yami smiled and leaned down, kissing away his tears. The prince's heart ached to see someone so innocent and pure in pain, though from what, he could not tell. _Unless…_ His breath caught. _Could it be?_ "Why do you cry, little one?"

   Amethyst eyes blinked in surprise, and the frail, pale-skinned boy leaned closer to the tanned, muscular one. The soft mouth opened, but no words came out as his ears picked up sounds from the beach. Gasping softly, Yugi dove back into his sanctuary.

   "Wait!" Yami pleaded. "Wait, little one! Please… at least tell me your name!"

   The tiny body came up again, pressing his lips to Yami's in a chaste kiss. "My name is Yugi… Yami-Chan."

   As the people at the shoreline spotted the prince, Yugi returned to the refuge of the sea. The last that Yami saw was a flicker of his tail, glistening in the light of the ominous, setting moon, as dawn crept nearer to the horizon.

   "Yugi…" Yami murmured, staring at the now-calm waters until the young women taking a walk on the beach came to "save" him.

   The mer-boy swam in a daze, his vision obstructed by what could only be tears. But how? He was confused. Mermaid did not cry. Mermaids were incapable of crying. That is, they were incapable of crying unless they loved a human.

   Yugi changed this direction. There was no time to go home. They would try to stop him if they knew what he wanted to do. They would try to kill the prince if they knew his reason for doing that. He could not allow that.

   Coral, brightly colored, flashed past, but the boy did not care. He must do this quickly, and quietly. There was no time for sightseeing. However, he could not suppress a deep sigh of regret. If his plan worked – or ever if it did not – he would never see this underwater world again. The revelation struck his heart like a dagger, but his heart belonged to another now.

   Finally coming upon the place for which he searched, Yugi knocked on the door-like shell gently, unconsciously chewing on his bottom lip anxiously. _The last moments in the sea…_ He regarded the sights around him, the vibrant fish with their iridescent scales, the seagrass waving like multitudes of tentacles, the sparkling, crystalline sand, and the mysteriously shimmering coral. They beckoned to him, begged for his love. He could give none.

   "Come in," a soft voice called, and the door opened, slowly, magically.

   Upon Yugi's entry, a strange light seemed to turn on, illuminating a shimmering, pearly interior decorated extravagantly with ancient reassures, some of which were from human lands thousands of miles away from the sea. In the middle of the room, surrounded by long-forgotten artifacts, rested a woman, her face as young as newly born plants, her eyes as wise as the ancient objects of which she was so fond. Her face seemed to be in perpetual shadow, only her large, cat-like green eyes showing, in such a contrast against her garnet-colored hair. The blood-like red reminded Yugi of the reason he came. _Yami…_

   "What do you want, Beauty of the Sea?" the green-eyed woman asked. "Why have you come to me?"

   "I… well…" Now that Yugi was here, he did not know what to say. "I need… That is…" He searched for the right words. Time was running out!

   "If it is in my power, I shall grant it," the woman murmured.

   Yugi has decided. "Sorceress, turn me into a human."

   The sorceress gaped. "A human, Yugi? Why? I know you liked their world, but…"

   Even in the water, the sorceress could see crystal-clear teardrops gather at the boy's eyes. For a moment, she could not believe what was happening. Then, her head bowed in defeat. "I see. I can, but…"

   Amethyst eyes lit up the boy's face. "Then, please, please let me be a human!"

   "Who has captured your heart so? How wonderful is she, that she won what we could not gain in so many years? Who is it, Yugi, that you love?"

   The boy shook his head. "Not she… He… He is the King's son. He is… my worst enemy." The tears threatened to spill, to mingle with the many others in the sea, no other of a mermaid. "I… I'm sorry! I do love you. I love all of you! But not like this. Not like a dagger that pierces my heart each second I'm away from him."

   "I understand." The woman looked away. "I have the spell for it. But would you be willing to take the risks? Would you be willing to give up that which the spell requires, bear the pain, and risk death?"

   "Anything!" Yugi declared. "Anything, to be with him."

   "Each step you take would be like shards of crystal rocks piercing your feet. Every second he is not with you would be as if your heart was being torn out of your body." The red-haired woman hesitated. "Your life… Your life is at stake. This spell lasts for three days. In that time, the one you love must marry you. If he does, then you will live the rest of your life as a human. If not… if not, your soul would be lost, and you would be nothing but foam upon the waves, forever yearning for the life which you cannot have."

   The boy sucked in a breath. The blood-red moon… The normally-pale disk in the sky that shone with a celestial light the color of Yami's eyes… The fatal prophecy, hanging ominously like a veil, obscuring his sight, clouding his common sense…

   "I don't care…" Yugi whispered. "I would rather live three days with him than face all eternity without." (A/N: Where have I heard that before…? It just sounds so familiar…)

   "You seem certain that you would die."

   The amethyst-eyed boy turned to her. "Have you seen the moon tonight? Have you seen it at sunset? The snowy orb, stained red by blood… The paleness of death, swallowed by the eternal blackness of unaware nothingness… Three days."

   "Then stay with us, Yugi, I beg of you!" the woman beseeched. "Stay and live!"

   "If not my death, then his," he said softly. "I would rather he live. Please, prepare the spell."

   The sorceress turned away, leafing through her book, seaweed pages bond by the substance of which pearls were made. There was one spell that might still save him. There was one spell that would allow him to change back once he saw just how deceiving humans could be. She could only hope that he would not be too naïve to notice.

   "Your voice…" she murmured. "You must give up your voice."

   Yugi nodded expressionlessly. "Anything and everything, I would be willing to give."

   The redhead could understand. Once, she loved someone that much. She had given everything, only to be betrayed by him. She hoped desperately that it was not the case here. Yugi's happiness meant so much to all of them.

   "Swim to the surface, Yugi. Do not lift your head above the water until you are at the shore. At the first breath of air, you will be a human."

   As the boy swam away, mutely nodding a farewell, she closed her eyes in grief and sank down.

   "I'm… s…o…r…r…y…"

   A sharp contrast to the pain his people were about to experience, Yugi was bursting with joy, with insuppressible hope. A part of him longed to remain with the familiar beauty of his home, but his heart was set on the human prince. The prospect of seeing him again surpassed any fear of death.

   'Yami-Chan… Yami-Chan, I'm coming!' (A/N: Since Yugi can't talk now, most of his thoughts and the dialogue suggested by his actions will be '…')


	2. As Feelings Blossom

Alrighty, another chappy… Finally… 

Yugi: Yes, finally. Now, when was this posted?

Ari: *blush* Two months ago.

Yugi: *sighs* Ah well. At least it WAS finished…

Ari: Hai…

Yugi: *frowns* You're not very talkative. Why? You were extremely hyperactive a second ago.

Ari: Mom's yelling at me… *cries* It's not fair. I swear, everyone hates me. Why don't they understand what's important to me might not be the same as what's important to them? Sometimes, I wish I could just die…

Yugi: …

Ari: Sorry, I'm being depressing. I guess I should be happy, finally finishing this…

Yugi: Right… I'll talk, then. First of all, Ari does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. This story will be YAOI, with the main pairing being Yami x Yugi. And, as before, Ari would like to dedicate it to Radiany.

"…" is normal talking

'…' is Yugi's think-talk

Ari: Is there anything that I'm forgetting…? I'm sorry if I forgot something… *sighs* I really can't think right now. It's not fair… I just want to say, thank you, everyone. If not for you and all my friends, I probably wouldn't want to live…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter Two 

         _As Feelings Blossom_

   The clear aqua water was brushed aside as the sleek shape cut through the crystal wetness for the surface, the land of his unshatterable dream. To him, the cerulean sky was ever so much more blue than the sea, the salty sea-breeze incomparable against the sweet aromas of a myriad of blossoms, the dark twilight depth never holding a torch to the land of bright laughter, of sparkling dreams. He could not wait to feel the teasing breeze on his still-damp skin, but he heeded the sorceress's warning. He would swim closer to the shore before he would gulp the delicious air down.

   As Yugi's initial burst of excitement calmed, he began to see the gravity of the situation. (A/N: Gravity as in seriousness, not as in the force that pulls people down.) He would _never_ return home again, no matter what happened. If Yami loved him, then he would be a human. If Yami rejected him, he would become a part of the sparkling white foam crashing upon the waves… the foam he had so envied for their freedom. But they had no life. They traveled where the sea would take them, never breathing, never thinking, never enjoying their existence, their liberty.

   'He _must_ love me,' Yugi thought desperately. His amethyst-eyes clouded with doubt, their brilliant joy hidden under a gauzy curtain of worry. How could two people fall in love in less than three days? But he had loved the prince from the beginning, had he not? He had loved the beautiful human for his courage and kindness, for his willingness to throw away everything to save his people. The amethyst eyes looked down with shame. To someone so wonderful, what did he have to offer?

   He knew he was nearing the surface as a buttery golden ray of the sun bounced onto his nose. The early morning sunlight flitted through the azure liquid, languishly chasing the flickering shadows, the world of air and sky joining with the world of watery dusk. Yugi put on an extra burst of speed, though hiss over-taxed muscles ached. He had precious little time. His sister would be looking for him now, he knew. She must not find him until it was too late to go back.

   Was that a flash of silver? Yugi swam faster, fearing to see the sheet of shimmering hair, and beryline cat-like eyes. She would not let him go, for something had happened in the past between and human and her.

   The glimmer of pearly sand caught his attention, and amethyst eyes stared at the shore, so close, yet so far. Schools of fish swam past his vision, trying, with their tinkering scales and vibrant colours, to pull him back, as if telling him that his plan would never work. He did not care. He wanted, _needed_ the human prince. Such was the way of mermaids' love…

   'Fate tied us to one another,' Yugi murmured in his mind, his expression wistful. Humans did not feel the tug of destiny, but the creatures of magic did. He knew that he _must_ be with the young, ruby-eyed prince, or he would never be able to survive. 'How ironic, that I must love one that is my enemy, when everyone in the ocean loved me…'

   The sapphire depth could not answer his questions, calm his worries. He could turn only, beseechingly, to the azure sky, filled with snowy-white cottony clouds lined with silver hope.

   With the buttery smooth sand under his feet, the pale-skinned amethyst-eyed beauty stepped out of his ancient home, into the land of his people's nemesis, to offer his heart to the one whose blood he should spill, letting it flow in its scarlet rivulets to pay the long-forgotten debt, to mend the promise broken in the dawn of time. Was it a wise choice? He did not know. It was too late to change his mind now, even if he had ever wished to, for his shimmering, sea-coloured tail split, forming long, smooth-skinned, milky-white legs. Yugi did not notice. His soft, coral lips opened in a silent scream as the pain came.

   The sorceress had, of course, warned him about the pain, but he had dismissed it, the promise of being with Yami so much sweeter. Now, however, tasting the bitter agony first-hand, Yugi's will was almost ready to falter. But only almost. He held, still, to the beautiful, shining promise, an anchor that bound him to life, to hope.

   "What is it, boy?" a deep, rich voice asked in concern. "You look as if you are in pain. Is there anything I can do to help?" The voice was beautifully familiar, jolting the young mer-boy back into consciousness.

   He knew who it was even before his amethyst eyes proved by sight. Before lifting his weary head, he knew what he would see: silky, tanned skin covering a lithe, lightly-muscled body; a mane of wild ebony hair rimmed in violet-crimson struck with gold, matching sun-kissed bangs; and, most of all, the piercing ruby eyes that could be colder than ice, more passionate than blazing flames, as violent and gentle as the sea and the wind. His mouth opened to call out in joy, but he had no voice. 'Yami-Chan…'

   The prince gasped as tearful amethyst eyes met his, the sadness shining out from behind a veil of pure innocence. The familiar pleading stare struck his heart, and a memory surfaced – a treasured memory from only a few hours ago, but seeming like a million years – the memory of a violet-eyed mermaid saving him from the blood-thirsty clutches of the roaring sea. _Could this boy be…?_ But Yami shook his head wistfully. The boy was a human. He had no tail, but beautiful, long, slim legs.

   Yami finally realized that he was staring, and at a certain part that he should not stare at, and blushed. However, the boy did not seem to mind. In fact, he did not even notice as he curled up into a little ball, large eyes shut tight against the pain. The prince's heart went out to him immediately.

   The first thing Yugi felt was a pleasing sensation radiating from a warm hand on his bare arm, succeeding in distracting him from the ever-present pain. He shivered as a biting blade of the wind slashed at his petal-soft skin, for once experiencing the not-so-gentle aspects of the world, but looked up as a thick piece of cloth covered him. He peered at the rough material, figuring it to be Yami's cloak. The prince himself felt cold, but he shrugged it off. He, at least, was wearing _some_ clothes. The mysterious boy was not.

   "What's your name?" Yami murmured softly as he reached down to scoop the boy into his arms. He was not entirely sure why he was doing this. Perhaps he was curious as to why this child looked so much like him, why he was a splitting image of the mer-boy that saved him.

   The young boy opened his soft mouth, large amethyst eyes trusting. Tears sprang to those eyes, which had held joy only moments before, but now showed nothing but anguish. Small hands with long, pale fingers touched the slim, milky-white throat, the boy staring up helplessly. Yami understood. He could not speak.

   "You look so much like him," the prince murmured, his voice holding more than a trace of wistfulness. His blood-red eyes stared at the ocean waves, blue water topped by white foam. "You look so much like the mermaid-child that saved me… His eyes were like yours, large and innocent, shining amethyst with hope. I could almost say that you were – but no, you can't be. You're human… Yet…" Yami realized that he was speaking to himself, though the boy hung onto his every word. He smiled down reassuringly. "Perhaps, I could pretend… And yet…" He shook his head. No amount of pretense could bring him the mer-boy. "Would you like his name? Would you like to be called Yugi?"

   'You are smitten,' the boy thought, even as he nodded his tri-coloured head. 'Have I made a mistake in becoming a human? What if you don't recognize me? What if… what if…' Three days. He had three days to make Yami see who he was.

   "I apologize for my rudeness," the older teen said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I am Yami, the prince of this kingdom." He hesitated. His mind kept telling him that this boy was merely a stranger, but his heart argued otherwise. It twisted horribly to think of letting him go. He made a quick decision. "Would you like to come to the castle? You do not look as if you have a home…"

   Yugi responded by snuggling closer. How he loved being next to the young prince! Something nagged him at the back of his mind, but he pushed it away again and again, telling himself that there was still time. It came again, haunting him, and in his memory, he saw the moon, scarlet like Yami's ruby eyes. He heard, once again, the prophetic incantations, whispered by his sister many years ago, echoed by himself the night before. _A child of royalty shall meet his doom. When the moon's heart flows with blood, and the stars weep their lights away, three days and three nights he has left, after the cock's crow._

   'It won't work,' a part of his mind wailed desperately. 'It won't work, and I'll die!' But another voice answered calmly, 'Better I die than he does. No matter what, I want him to live, and to be happy…'

   Yami studied the tiny figure in his arms. He was so warm and soft, almost reminding the prince of the stuffed animals he had as a child. A faint sea-scent drifted from his messy hair, still damp, and Yami wondered what he had been up to. Why was he by the cold ocean just past sunrise? Why was he wearing nothing? Who was he, that Yami did not remember seeing him? Surely, someone so incredibly beautiful would have caught his attention. Most of all, however, was the question of what to do with him. He obviously had no home, and the prince longed to keep him close. But would his father allow him to keep a stranger at the castle for charity? The old king was not generous.

   "Do you have a place to stay?" the older teen asked gently, not wanting to disturb this moment.

   Yugi looked up sleepily, violet eyes hazy. It took a while for him to comprehend the question, then he shook his head.

   "Would you like to stay with me?" Yami asked hopefully. What was this effect that the boy had on him? He was easily the most beautiful person he had ever seen, but when did he dwell on outward appearances? It was not that. The boy had an aura of innocence and fragileness that he felt he needed to protect.

   Yugi nodded, his arms extending to wrap tightly around the older teen's muscled torso.

   Yami hesitated. "You would have to be a servant, though. But I will make sure you stay by my side…"

   The small boy responded by tightening his hold. Yami's body was warm against his bare skin, and he closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek against the prince's chest. Perhaps he was being too forward. He did not care. He had only three days to live, and each second away from yami hurt something inside his heart.

   The two continued like this, neither wanting to let go. The tranquility swirled around them, curtaining them from the rest of the world. For this short walk back to the castle, Yami finally felt peace.

   When they arrived at the large, gilded oak doors of the castle entrance, Yugi was safely asleep in the older teen's arms, his head resting on Yami's shoulder, his cheek against the side of Yami's neck. Though hating himself for doing it, the prince gently shook him awake.

   'Wha?' Yugi opened his mouth to speak, before realizing that he could not. Instead, he just stared up with his sleep-hazed amethyst eyes, so warm and soft, like an infant's.

   The young prince smiled at him tenderly. "We're here. This is the castle." He hesitated. "You need clothes. I will give you the ones I have outgrown, and send someone to inform my father that you are to be my personal attendant. Meanwhile, wait for me in the hall, outside of my room. You may look around, but don't go too far."

   The amethyst-eyed boy nodded, eyes shining with excitement, as they went from one area to another, traveling in a labyrinth of dazzling corridors. He gaped at the splendor of human buildings, the like of which were unimaginable under the roiling water of the sea. Satiny marble stood as walls and pillars, their surfaces etched with elegant carvings, where dull sand had sufficed in his home. Windows were created with glass, some stained, reflecting light in all its glory, so unlike the dim, filtered light of his underwater kingdom. Such riches were here – gold, silver, gems…

   Finally, they came to the door of Yami's room. The older teen hugged the younger. "Wait here. If anyone bothers you, call me." He was gone before Yugi could remind him that he had no voice.

   'So pretty…' the boy thought to himself, not caring if he was openly staring. Two tall columns supported a glass sunroof, with the sweet light brushing a petaled rose. Footsteps sounded behind him, but he did not turn, assuming that it was Yami.

   "Well, well, a new servant," a sadistically confident voice commented. "You might make an interesting new toy…"

   Yugi spun around, mentally cursing himself. Yami did not have such heavy steps; he was as silent as a cat. Nor did he smell like sweat and alcohol; his scent was refreshing, almost like a spicy desert flower.

   The man smirked at his startlement, pushing a bandana higher on his dirty blonde hair, his sky-blue eyes filled with cruelty. "Listen, newbie, I am Keith. Remember that name. I am the ruler of the rest of you miserable slaves, you hear? Now, be a good kid. Bow down and say 'Yes, Master Keith'."

   Amethyst eyes were filled with fear. Even if Yugi had his voice, he would have been too paralyzed to speak.

   "Bow and say it!" Keith demanded again. When Yugi failed to move, he reached over and grabbed the collar of the cloak, intending to lift the boy up. "What's your name?! How dare y— Woah…"

   The violet eyes held pure panic now, as Yugi tried to clutch the cloak closer. As Keith tore it off, he tried to slip out of his grasp, to hide from the lust-filled eyes roaming over his body. This was what his sister had tried to warn him of… 'Yami!' his mind called desperately. 'YAMI!!'

   "Get back here!" the man hissed, anger replacing a part of the lust. "I'll teach you a lesson, you little whore!" It took no more than the blink of an eye for him to grab the young boy's arm in an iron grip, his fingers bruising soft skin. Already, one hand reached to run sharp nails along the taught stomach. Yugi's muscles tensed at the contact, bile threatening to spill from his tiny mouth. He tried to curl up, to hide, but Keith had lifted him up.

   "No protests?" Keith wondered idly. "Maybe you _are_ a whore. I would enjoy…"

   Yugi's eyes widened and he struggled harder, shaking his head frantically, hoping that Yami would come out soon. Yami… What if Yami did not want him anymore, because someone else touched him? _He wouldn't do that… would he?_

   "Ah…" the man nodded in comprehension. "A mute. Such a shame, I won't be able to hear your screams, but this certainly make matters much easier." He smirked suggestively. "Shall we begin?"

   The boy's head darted from side to side, eyes wide with the desperate fear of a hunted animal. There! A delicate porcelain vase filled with sweet-smelling water was behind Keith. As he released one hand to untie his pants, Yugi swung around, biting his lip as his wrist was twisted, to aim a kick at the vase.

   Yugi collapsed as pain shot through him, one from the contact of his feet, one from a slap that Keith gave him. He almost missed the loud clatter as the vase shattered, spilling relieving water over his tiny form.

   Keith was livid with anger. "How dare you, you little whore! I'll punish you right now! I'll hurt you so bad that you won't be able to walk for weeks!"

   'I won't live that long,' Yugi wanted to reply, a grim, ironic voice cutting though his head. Now that he caused such havoc in the castle, why would the prince want anything to do with him? He wondered vaguely why he broke the vase to get Yami's attention. _Why did I fall in love with a human anyway? They are fickle, materialistic, unfaithful, lustful…_ Yet, another part of his mind reprimanded him. _Yami isn't like that! Yami's kind, gentle… He's perfect, he…_ Yugi sobbed. _He'll never love me!_

   "What is going on here?!" a voice demanded in alarm, and the boy gasped upon recognizing it. _Yami…_

   "Ah, this _servant_ was here, dressed like _that_ – or undressed, I should say – and broke that priceless vase," Keith explained, bowing. "I was just about to teach him a… lesson."

   The prince raised an eyebrow. "Indeed? Is a piece of clay really worth a child's innocence? Answer me… _servant_."

   The man flushed. "Your Highness, I have no idea what you are talking about."

   Snorting, the youth looked pointedly to his unbuckled belt and half-open pants, then to the young boy sprawled on the ground, sobbing. He allowed no emotion to show on his face, but inside, his heart was torn. There was Yugi, _his_ little Yugi, hurt. _If Keith touched him that way, I swear…!!_

   "I do not remember summoning you here to punish people for breaking pots," Yami commented coldly. "_Servant_ Keith, I was planning to have you inform my father that I would like this boy as my servant. But…" He waved his hand idly. "I do not think that is such a good idea anymore."

   Tear-clouded amethyst eyes looked up in horror as the taller man advanced. 'Yami-Chan, how could you? You said…'

   "Hold on!" Yami commanded. "I never gave you permission to touch him. You are dismissed, Keith. _From this castle_. I said that it was not a good idea to send you, not that I do not want him as my servant. I think I will see to this personally."

   Yugi felt a torrent of tears wash over him as Yami knelt down and tenderly caressed his cheek, making sure that he was not injured. He leaned into the prince's hand, nuzzling the soft, tanned skin. Relief coursed through him, carrying away the earlier burst of adrenaline, and he suddenly felt very weak.

   "Are you alright?" the young prince asked anxiously, gently running his hands over the boy's body. "Did he…?"

   The boy shook his head and launched himself towards Yami, hugging him tightly. Warmth flooded through him as two strong arms encircled him, pressing him against a firm chest.

   Cold ruby eyes softened, and a smile graced the prince's lips. He had never before met someone who _needed_ to be comforted, whose very soul seemed to reach out for him with open arms. No, that was not entirely true. There was one other like him – the mer-boy.

   Someone cleared his throat. "My Prince, you asked for these clothes?"

   Only now, broken out of his revelry, did Yami realize where his hands rested. One was at the small of Yugi's back, slightly to the side and curving around the boy's slim waist. The other, however, was a bit lower, resting on something warm and soft. (A/N: His, uh… bottom. ^^)

   "Ack!" Yami had never been so flustered before. "I didn't, I'm not, er, it's not what you think!"

   The newcomer's ice-blue eyes glittered with amusement as he pushed dark violet hair out of his face. His dark, velvety robes glimmered violet where strong light danced upon the fabric, and slightly tanned skin had a soft sheen of sweat in the ever-present heat of summer. In the crock of one arm, half-covered by a voluptuous sleeve, was a white, silky bundle. He placed it down on a nearby, intricately-carved table, and chuckled at the prince's startlement and Yugi's deep blush.

   "My Prince, the white clothes…" He smiled at the younger boy. "Welcome, Yugi. My name is Mahado, but you may call me 'Dark'." (A/N: *smirks* Guess who.)

   As Dark left, Yami held out the clothes, suddenly feeling very awkward. "Ummm… Would you like to put these on?"

   The boy nodded, but hesitated. He had never worn human garments before.

   Yami saw the confusion on his face. "Here, let me help you."

   For a few minutes, the prince taught his young charge about the different types of clothes, helping him get them on. Both blushed whenever skin touched skin, heat flowing through like lightning at these split-second meetings. Eventually, Yugi was dressed in a soft white tunic, tight pants that hugged every curve of his slim legs, snowy leather boots, and a long, feathery cloak that flowed behind like a pair of wings. Though he did not say so, to Yami, Yugi looked like an angel.

   "You're beautiful…" the young prince murmured in awe. Now that he was not so anxious to keep the boy safe, now that he had time to look at him. He sighed, finding it hard to breathe. "You're the most gorgeous person in the world!"

   'Would my beauty be enough to win you over?' Yugi thought sadly. He knew the answer already. Yami was not so superficial.

   The prince hesitated. When he spoke again, it was slowly, thoughtfully. "I don't think others should see you. If they were to act the way that Keith did… I may not be able to keep you safe. Maybe… maybe not even I should see you, lest I…" He left the rest unsaid. _Lest I force you into my bed._ He had already wanted to, when he first saw and touched the tiny body. He should not, could not. If he did, then he would be no different from the men he despised. He could not hurt such an innocent child.

   Yugi shook his head, hanging onto the prince's arm like if he was his only lifeline. Yami did not know it, but he was. The contact sent fire through his veins, and he found that he could not pull away.

   "Dark!" the ruby-eyed teen called, and the young man appeared as if by magic. "Please inform my father that I have found myself a 'cute little servant' like he commanded, and that we are going to the market. We will return late at night."

   Yugi smiled up brightly. 'Market? Filled with human-made objects…'

   The white-gold noon sun blazed in a cerulean sky, the gauzy wisps of clouds not hiding its almost-overwhelming heat. In this heat strode two white-clad figures, shrouded from head to toe. Rather, one person walked, and the other was carried most of the way. The tiny figure was curled up happily in the taller one's arms, eyes peering sleepily at the strange sights around him; all the different shapes curtained in bright colours selling everything from food to jewelry, weapons to musical instruments.

   'Eh?' Yugi frowned. An ivory-white instrument caught his eyes. Though still sleepy from the warm sun, he scrambled down from Yami's hold and tugged him towards the display.

   "Go ahead." The prince smiled indulgently. "I need to see something at another stand. Here's some money. Buy yourself something nice and wait for me. I should be done in a moment."

   The boy nodded, eyes big and bright, bounding over to the musical instruments. Yami chuckled and turned to a jewelry stand.

   The instrument was calling out to him. He realized it as soon as he saw it. There was a haunting aura throbbing in the air, pulsing like heartbeats. Somehow, it reminded him of the sea. It sang to him of the ocean's beauty, its glory, its power, trying to lure him back. Tears stun the boy's eyes. Why had he never before seen the wonders of his own home? But his will was firm. He would give up the sea a hundred, thousand times over to spend even a few mere seconds with Yami.

   "You like this thing…?"

   A woman with long, black hair and soft, sapphire eyes smiled at him. He could almost sense sadness radiating out of her tanned face. A strange, golden necklace encircled her slim neck, an eye-like charm at its center. (A/N: Isis, of course. No, she's not important. I just felt like using the Yu-Gi-Oh characters. ^^)

   Yugi nodded. 'It calls to me, telling me to return to the sea. It warns me that human love never lasts…'

   "Then it is true," the woman murmured. "You are the child of the sea king. The instrument is a harp, made from the bones of the fish washed upon the shores. The strings, however, are strands of mermaid's hair."

   _Silver hair…_ The amethyst eyes widened in recognition. 'Who was it?! Who was it that cut my sister's hair?'

   "He is head," she answered. "Yes, I can see your thoughts. He is head. He was your sister's lover, but he had betrayed her. She killed him to return to the sea."

   'She wouldn't!' Yugi exclaimed. 'She's not like that. She would not kill someone else to live.'

   "But she did." The tone left no question as to its truth. "I was there. They both came, and they both killed to live…"

   'They? Who is the other?'

   "The young apprentice sorceress."

   Yugi understood. He could return. If Yami did not love him, then he could return, at the cost of the other's life. But… could he? Could he forget all his feelings and kill the one he loved? He did not want to think about this.

   Even without realizing it, the boy placed his hands upon the harp. He reeled back in shock, and would have cried out had he had his voice, as a torrent of thought, none his own, flooded into his mind.

   _"I love you…"_

_   "No, why…?"_

_   "Please… Just us…"_

_   "Ahhhhhh! What is this feeling?"_

   Good emotions… but now… Anger, pain, sadness…

   _"Who is _she_?! Why are you…"_

_   "No! Why? I love you… She doesn't care! _I_ love you…"_

   Then, coldness…

   _"If that is how it must be, then I will…"_

   'NO!' Yugi pushed away the thoughts, suddenly nauseous. Dizziness swept over him, and he reached out a hand to steady himself. The young woman reached out to support him, but he pulled away. No one must touch him. Even Yami thought it was not safe for him to see the boy. He found himself on the ground and lurched to his feet. He must go somewhere. He could not remain.

   'Ne, what's this?' His curiosity sparked, the boy's fear soon dissipated, leaving only a shadow of memory. He ignored it, finding the object before him more interesting. It sparkled in the sun, white and black, violet and crimson.

   "Do you like this ring, lad?" a kindly old man asked.

   Yugi nodded. He did like it a lot. Now, he could decipher what the gems made – a kingly figure with ruby eyes and an angelic one with amethyst eyes, holding onto each other as if the world was going to end. _And perhaps it was,_ he realized. _Perhaps this was their last moment together…_

   "Keep it."

   The boy blinked. 'Eh? He wants me to keep it?'

   "It has chosen you, I think," the man said. "Take it. It belongs to you."

   Bowing a thanks, the amethyst-eyed boy turned… and realized that he had no idea where he was. 'Y-yami-Chan?'

   While the boy listened to his sister's hidden memories, the prince went to a jewelry stand, though not the same as the one that Yugi ran to. This stand was run by someone he knew, someone he could trust.

   "Master Shadi," Yami greeted, reaching into a fold of his sleeve to take out a golden, pyramid-shaped object dangling on a silver chain. A strange eye symbol decorated one of its triangular faces. "I want a replica of this…" (A/N: Millennium Puzzle, if you haven't guessed.)

   The man's warm blue eyes widened. "My prince, this? But why would you need something like that?"

   "A boy that cannot speak," Yami murmured. "I wish to see his mind… or at least his heart…"

   "Oh?" Shadi raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?" A smile tugged at the corners of his lips at the prince's blush. "You are attracted to this boy, perhaps?" A soft chuckle escaped as Yami's blush deepened.

   The young prince mumbled something under his breath, and looked up beseechingly. "Can you do it, Master Shadi? Can you replicate the shape in pure gold? And most of all… can you replicate the magic that I have woven, that took me so many years?"

   "Yes…" Shadi nodded. "I will have it ready at this time tomorrow."

   Yami relaxed and smiled. He had feared that not even Shadi would be able to copy the magic of the Millennium Puzzle. He needed to connect to Yugi somehow, to feel what the boy was feeling. However, he feared the artisan's words, that he might be attracted to the beautiful child, fearing even more because a part of his mind hoped that it was true.

   _Speaking of Yugi…_ The prince frowned. _Where is he?_ The instrument stand was empty. Only the young woman with the azure eyes remained, watching her wares with an alien expression on her face.

   "Yugi?" Yami called anxiously. "Yugi! Yugi, where are you?" This was the closest he had come to panicking. The people should not, _could_ not see the boy. _If they touch him that way, if they hurt him… I can't forgive myself!_

   "Is he the boy with the amethyst eyes?" The woman came out of the instrument stand. "The one that is dressed as you?" She smiled wryly. "It would do well for you to figure out his secrets." She turned away before Yami could speak and pointed. "He went that way."

   "Many thanks!" the ruby-eyed prince called, speeding off in that direction. _Yugi just has to be alright…_

   Coming to an intersection, Yami hesitated. Which way did the boy go? _But he couldn't have gone far, could he?_

   "YUGI!"

   A head lifted at the call, and teary amethyst eyes brightened in recognition. Yugi jumped to his feet at the sight of his prince. Yami had not seen him yet, and he wanted to call out.

   "Hey, watch it!"

   The boy spun towards the sound.

   "You, there! Get outta the road!"

   A cart was rushing at Yami.

   "Are you deaf?! Get outta my way! I have an important delivery!"

   The prince seemed not to hear. He was too busy searching for his young charge.

   'Yami-Chan!' Yugi stood frozen in horror. Yami was not looking his way. The cart was getting closer each second. Soon, it would collide…

   … Yami turned, and finally saw the boy, waving at him frantically. He smiled softly and started towards him.

   'Too slow…' The amethyst-eyed boy tensed. 'It'll hit him! What do I do?' He did the only thing he _could_ do.

   The boy's small shape hurled out, knocking the prince aside as the cart struck. Yugi clenched his teeth against the pain, as tears squeezed out in rivulets from his tightly-shut eyes. His only consolation was that Yami was alright.

   "Yugi…" Warm arms surrounded him and he was lifted, pressed against a firm body. A gentle hand pushed aside his sweat-damped hair and tender lips rained kisses on his forehead. "Oh, Yugi, please be okay… Why? Why did you save me?"

   'Because I love you…' The words were not spoken. He wondered if he would have been brave enough to say them even if he could.

   Yami stood, eyes blazing. The cart had stopped, and its driver came out, cursing angrily. The two faced off.

   "You harmed my servant," Yami remarked coldly. "You will apologize to him _right now_. If he is injured, I will have your head."

   The man snorted. "I am the one who will have your head – yours and your servant's. For your information, I was brining these to the castle. I expect you to pay full price for my destroyed wares and give a formal apology to His Majesty."

   The ruby-eyed teen glared and pulled Yugi closer to him, gently nuzzling him. "If he is hurt—"

   "Is he your pleasure slave or something?" the man demanded. "And who do you think you are, to speak to me like this?!"

   "I _think_ I am a human," Yami hissed. "But who I actually am is the prince of this kingdom."

   The declaration rang out. All activity stopped. The young prince pushed back his hood to reveal his tell-tale hair and walked away, holding his young look-alike protectively.

   Yugi sighed once they were away from the mass of people and put his arms around the older teen, burying his head in his chest. He loved the feel of Yami's lithe muscles, his spicy scent, his comforting warmth.

   "Are you hurt? I'm sorry. It was my fault."

   The boy shook his head. He was sore all over, but he was not about to make his beloved prince worry.

   Yami hugged the boy close, already reluctant to let him go. _What is this that I'm feeling? He is so beautiful, so kind, so sweet…_ He longed to touch the boy's body, but knew that he should not.

   "Ah… Here we are…"

   (A/N: Alrighty, time to make it shiny again! Shiny shiny SHINY!!! Yugi: -_-; Too much Gravitation… Ari: *smirks* You can never have too much Gravitation. ^^ *sings* Shiny shiny shiny… SHINY!!)

   Yugi did not need to look to know where they were. He could already feel the soft breezes that carried a touch of moisture teasing his hair, reaching for him, trying to take back their treasure. The familiar scents assailed him – the fish and the salt, carried by the refreshing coolness that welcomed him. 'The Sea…"

   "My father rarely allowed me to come here before," the prince murmured softly. "He said that it was too dangerous. He would only let me come on special occasions with my 'servants'. It was mostly because of the war with the mer-people… He expected the mermaids to 'seduce' me. He had instructed me to give one of them as sacrifice." He snorted. "As if I would do that! I don't pick servants lightly. The ones I have are friends that I love beyond life."

   'Am I one?' Yugi asked silently. 'Do you love me, Yami-Chan? I have seen how you were willing to give your life for them. Would you do the same for me? I know I would… for you…'

   "I am glad I was allowed here this morning…" Yami continued. "Or I might never have found you." He smiled softly. "Yes, I consider you to be one of my cherished friends. I hope it means something to you…"

   The boy sighed happily. 'It means the world to me…'

   Carefully, the prince sat down in a cushion of soft, golden sand, setting the amethyst-eyed boy gently on his lap. "You're hurt. I know you are, even if you pretend not to be. I… I had a feeling that you would like the sea… I hope you would feel better here."

   Yugi nodded, smiling brightly. Indeed, the familiar feelings were easing his pain, healing his body and mind. He sighed softly and leaned back into Yami, closing his eye and just resting in a place where he knew he would be safe.

   He did not know how long he slept, basking in soft, buttery-gold sunlight, his head resting on the prince's warm, firm chest. All he knew was that he did not want to move from that position ever again.

   "Sunset…" the older teen whispered. "We can watch it together. Then, we should probably go back and get some food."

   The boy's stomach growled in reply, and he blushed while the prince laughed.

   "It will be time soon," Yami murmured comfortingly. "I would like to share this time with you… To watch the ending of a day…"

   Mixed in the sweet sense of love was the bitter poison of death. _One day spent with Yami… One day less to live…_

   Still, Yugi could not help but enjoy the beauty of nature, as soft magenta shade was cast over the light blue sky, twirling and melting into a lavender vortex. Slowly, the golden light reddened, as if someone poured droplets of blood into a river of light, darkening and ebbing into night. As the sun struggled to keep its place above the choppy azure horizon of waves, the pale moon slowly rose to take its place, its light soft and ghostly. In the deepest reaches of the eastern sky, stars peeked out of their homes, dotting the velvety dark sky with twinkling diamonds. Two teens watched in silent appreciation.

   "People say that if you find the brightest star and make a wish, it would come true…"

   'Really? Then I wish that you would love me, Yami-Chan…"

   The trek back to the castle seemed all-too-short to Yugi. He wished, more than once, that he could just freeze time and stay in Yami's arms forever. But he could not. Soon, they were back amongst people, and the two reluctantly let go of each other.

   "Bring food for my new servant and myself up to my room," the prince ordered briskly. "We are not to be bothered."

   He heard a snicker, but chose to dismiss it. The rumors would be spreading already about the purposes of his new, extremely beautiful servant. For once, he did not mind. Perhaps if they thought that Yugi was _his_, they would stop bothering the poor boy. Of course, he did not admit that he might like to be in the implied relationship with Yugi…

   The boy giggled. 'Yami made it sound like if we…'

   (A/N: Gack, I've _gotta_ end this chappy soon…)

   Dinner passed without mishap, with the two staring at each other, and looking away, blushing, as one caught the other's gaze. After the plates were taken by a servant, Yugi promptly yawned, signaling the time for bed.

   "You can, uh, sleep with me if you would like," the prince stammered, blushing. "Not that you have to! Just, well, I… Er, you looked comfortable when we were together on the beach…"

   The boy hugged him tightly in response. 'Mmmmmmmm… nothing better…'

   Yami smiled softly, wistfully. _I wouldn't do anything to you, I promise. But how will I be able to keep my hands off of you?_

   Yugi pulled away briefly to tug at the many buckles that kept his clothes on. As the prince reached to help him, their hands touched, sending sparks of heat through both boys.

   _How indeed…_ the prince groaned. _How can I stay away when even a touch sends fire through my veins?_


	3. One Chance at Life

New upload notice:

Alrighty, I finally finished the lemon. I said I would a month and a half ago, but… Ah, better late than never, right? ^_^;; And I also fixed the title, as Strawberry Princess pointed out.

Anyway, I put the link for the lemon at the bottom. *nods* Please read it. It took me a loooooooooong time, and I'm quite proud of how it turned out. And it's LOOOOOOOONG. O_o More explanations at the bottom.

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Original A/N:

Lookies! I updated! I'm not dead! Aren't you all so glad? *wide grin* Thank you to all who reviewed! ^_^ See? I'm alive! And I'm updating! ^_____^

Hyper? Me? Oh no. Whatever ARE you talking about?

Well… This chapter has been longer than I had at first anticipated, that it has… Hope you enjoy it, ne? ^_^

Hmmmmm. Too tired to rant much. And I'm sure you would all much prefer to move onto the fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or The Little Mermaid, etc, etc, etc. I hardly own anything, meh.

Warning: Yaoi! Pretty pretty yaoi! ^_^ I don't know how you could possibly not know this yet… unless you're one of the people who jump into a middle chapter and poke around there… O_o

Notice: Genre changed to angst, rating upped to R. You'll find out why later. But don't worry, no lemon HERE.

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Chapter 3 – One Chance at Life

   Warmth. Warmth, like nothing he had felt before. That was the first feeling that greeted him as his mind left the land of dreams, to a sweet reality hiding bitter truth. The warmth flowed through him, caressing, nurturing, sending so much love that, for a moment, it seemed as if everything would turn out alright. Yugi sighed soundlessly, happily, and snuggled closer. He was aware, now, of the touch of silky skin against his cheeks; soft skin concealing hard muscles. As his senses began to awaken, he could smell sweet spices mingled with a slight bit of sweat, the fragrance that had lulled him to sleep. Now, he could hear the even breaths, feel them. The prince's chest was rising and falling slowly. He was still asleep, despite the light of the bright morning sun, promising a fair day.

   Slowly, Yami stirred, woken by the change in environments, by the _feeling_ of a pair of eyes gazing at him. All of a sudden, he remembered the night's events. Now, only now, did he realize the reason he felt so warm, so comfortable. Only now did he notice the soft bundle that he held in his arms -- a soft, warm bundle with milky-white skin, feathery soft hair, and large amethyst eyes. He froze in shock as he realized how close he had come to Yugi during the night. both boys were virtually naked, wearing only a pair of sheer white pants. warmth flowed through, leaving him tingling with pleasure. The sensible part of his mind screamed at him to move, to get away, but he could not. And that was not only because he did not want to, because he _enjoyed_ being close to the younger boy. No, it was mostly because of the pair of slim arms tightly encircling his waist.

   "Yugi..." The word was barely audible, nothing but a gossamer breath born on the slightest breeze.

   The boy looked up, violet eyes questioning. Unconsciously, he drew closer to the prince, as if fearing to lose him.

   Yami shook his head, placing his hands on the younger boy's shoulders and gently pushing him away. "I must go get something. Dark will take care of you while I am gone. He will introduce you to my friends. Trust only them..."

   Yugi nodded, eyes wide with trust, reminding the older teen of a new-born kitten. Yet... not so. There was something else there. Something fiery and passionate, fighting to burst out. It was so intense that it was terrifying.

   As the prince dressed, Yugi could not help but stare at the smooth, tanned body, glistening in the light. As he turned, the mer-boy's eyes followed lithe muscles sliding under the skin with the grace of a cat. _Gorgeous..._

   After Yami left, Yugi sat in silence, thinking. Was it truly love...? Or was it merely lust? He wanted to touch him, hold him, press their bodies together... allow the incredible heat to seep through. But, more than that, he wanted Yami to be happy. Happy, even if he was not. To live, even if he could not. To love, even if the person loved was not him.

   "You are quite taken with my prince, are you not?"

   The boy jumped at the voice, and spun to face a lean face framed by violet hair. Hesitantly, he nodded. 'Hai... I love him...'

   Dark's expression softened at the look of wistful longing on the amethyst-eyed face. "There is something about you that none of us knows. I cannot help with what I do not know, but I will tell you this. He cares more than you think, even if he has not admitted it to himself."

   Yugi looked up hopefully, eyes wide and shining. 'Maybe... Maybe we could be together after all... maybe I could live... with him...'

   "Come," the magician beckoned. "Put on your clothes and meet me in the hallway. Prince Yami has asked me to introduce you to his friends."

   The young teen nodded. Yami's friends... The only people he could trust... As soon as Dark left, he began to dress. As his fingers brushed over the fluttering silk, he was reminded of the ruby-eyed prince's soft skin. How he longed for Yami's touch. 'Yami-Chan...'

   A smile, albeit a sad one, graced his lips for a second. 'At least...at least I can have him for two more days, whatever happens...'

   The lovestruck prince hurried through the market, searching out the stand he had been at the day before. It was not difficult, of course -- it _was_ run by one of his loyal subjects, after all -- but he had not visited for months before the previous afternoon. Yami hesitated, considering the labyrinth of roads and alleyways. Left, left, right... He ducked aside as a crowd of children ran past, laughing and playing in their element. His people... the people he barely knew but would soon rule...

   _Wait a second..._ Yami doubled back, confirming what he caught from the corner of his eyes. There it was... shining from the bright eyes of the children, evident in their laughter... Joy. It was missing -- or at least covered -- from Yugi. However, something else radiated from the young beauty; a soft tenderness and need. The same expression that the prince had seen amongst his friends, passing between Bakura and Ryou, Seto and Jou... That expression was...

   The crimson-eyed teen shook his head. It was not possible. Not possible...

   "My prince," a voice interrupted his thoughts. "What brings you here so early in the day?"

   Yami was not surprised to meet two reflective azure eyes. His reply was a simple question. "Is it ready?"

   A slight smirk touched the man's lips. "So eager, my prince? Would you care to tell me who the lucky recipient of the half of your soul is?"

   The cardinal-eyed prince blushed. "He is... a rare beauty... A diamond amongst the coals, shining with the sun's own light."

   The owner of the stand raised an eyebrow. "And he seems to have the power to make Your Highness turn poetic."

   Yami scowled at the teasing. "Just tell me if it's ready or not, Shadi! I _need_ the Sennen Puzzle to communicate with him."

   The merchant nodded, tilting his head slightly. "It is, my prince. May you have the best of luck with your little beauty." Bowing once, he reached under the stand and pulled out two objects, each the size of an adult's fist. One was clearly pyramidal, but the other seemed to be in a box. Respectfully, he handed them to his liege. "My prince, be careful. They are quite heavy. The boxed one is for you to give to your little beauty. His heart -- both its strength and its truth -- must be tested before he could share your soul."

   The prince nodded, taking his possessions and paying his subject. "I understand. And he _will_ pass. I have no doubt of it." _Finally... Finally, Yugi, I would know who you truly are..._

   In a fair day holding such promises, Yami hurried back towards the castle, completely unaware of his little guest's fate. _He should finish in, what, a week? Two weeks? I can wait... Even if it takes years, even if it takes forever, I will wait..._

   Little did he know that, not to speak of two weeks, he did not even have two _days_ left...

   Sometimes, ignorance truly was bliss. However, poor Yugi had no such liberties...

   "Your Highness! Where _were_ you? His Majesty was looking for you this morning."

   Yami groaned inwardly at the frantic voice that greeted him as he entered the castle, his arms quite weary from the heavy weights that he had to bear for the past hour-or-so. Right now, he did _not_ want a conference with his father. What he wanted was to find the violet-eyed Yugi and crawl into a bed with him...

   _Woah!_ The prince's mind did a double-take. _What was that? I could have sworn I thought..._

   _Ah, shush._ The other side of his brain waved it away mentally. _I did that last night, and it was perfectly fine._

   However, in his mental discussion, he had momentarily forgotten to walk. The servant, stiff as a pole and bearing castle liveries almost smugly, was starting to look at him strangely. He supposed no one else argued with themselves in their head...

   "Ah... pardon, Your Highness?" The servant was trying very hard not to look impatient. "The King awaits..."

   "Yes, yes." Walking briskly towards his father's study, Yami dispatched the servant on another errand. "Go find Dark -- uh, Mahaado, that is -- and tell him to wait for me outside my father's study, along with the new arrival, Yugi."

   The servant bowed. "Yes, Your Highness. I will do so immediately."

   Completing his short walk, the prince knocked on this father's door. "Father, I have come. May I enter?"

   "Ah... My son... Yes, please do so." The King's voice was excited about... something.

   Respectfully, Yami obeyed, stepping in and quietly closing the door behind him. The aged King sat facing him, hands folded across the top of an oak desk, large stacks of parchment on either side.

   Stopping a few steps away, the youth bowed, looking up questioningly. "Father, you wished to see me...?"

   The King nodded and slumped down, fatigue dimming the pride that once shone on his visage. Suddenly, he seemed so old, so vulnerable. "It would soon be time for your coronation. I am old... dying. I wish to hand this throne to you, my son, ere disputes arise. Thus... it is my wish that you marry."

   "M-marry?" Yami's crimson eyes widened slightly in surprise. He had never really considered marriage before, and now, the very mention of that word brought to his mind the image of a violet-eyed, fair-skinned little beauty.

   "Yes, marry," the King chided. "You know, take a wife, produce an heir... All that stuff."

   "B-but..." The teen tried to hide his blush. "Why so soon?"

   "You are old enough."

   "And... who?"

   "Ah, that is the matter I wished to discuss today." The King sat up, regarding his son gravely. "I wish you to visit the daughter of the Count of Domino. (A/N: Yes, I can't think of a name, thus, from Domino City.) She is a kind and fair lady, one year of age less than you. We have already arranged your betrothal when you were both only infants. I hope you will not make too much of a fuss about this..."

   Yami was in a state of mild shock. _Betrothal... Marriage... Count Domino's daughter? But... But Yugi..._ Visions flashed through his mind of the younger boy hurting, crying... Pain clutched his heart.

   "Father, I cannot!" the prince burst out. "With all due respects, I cannot... For I love another."

   _Love?_ His mind marvelled at this new revelation. _Love Yugi? Yes... Love Yugi, more than anything else..._

   The King shook his head sadly. "I am afraid you may not refuse, my son. Such are the fetters of royalty, that we may not freely choose much in our lives... that we may not marry for love... Maybe you will learn to love her some day. It is not that difficult a task. She is quite a flower, dainty and clever."

   The youth looked away, refusing to meet the severe rebuke in his father's eyes. "She is a weed compared to my love."

   A soft, nostalgic smile touched the aged man's lips. "I am sure she is, to you. But..." His berating expression was back. "You _will_ meet her and bring her here today, and you _will_ marry her as soon as possible. There is no choice."

   "N-now?!"

   "Yes. I am old and weary..." The King lifted his right hand, staring at it in disgust, before letting it flop onto the table again. "I have no strength left. Soon, you must be King."

   The young prince looked away. Duty... He was born into duty, and denied much. Perhaps he had an abundance of wealth in gold and silver and jewels, but that was _all_ he had. Now, after finally finding love, he must toss it away, because his position demanded that he marry this... countess. "I... I will do as you say, Father. I will marry this lady. However... Do not expect me to ever love her. My heart has been given to another already."

   "And that is all I ask."

   Bowing again, Yami strode away, his heels clicking angrily. "I will now take my leave."

   The prince was not entirely surprised to find two people waiting for him outside. His cold, azure-eyed attendant was calm, but his face held a hint of question. The young boy at his side, clothed in lily-white silk, was staring with open curiosity, tugging on the prince's sleeve to get his attention... as if he did not already have all of it.

   "My lord...?" the violet-haired magician prompted, when Yami made no move to speak.

   The youth sighed, leaning against a wall. His words were slow, heavy. "My father... wants me to marry. The daughter of the oh-so-wealthy and powerful Count Domino, to be precise."

   "And... you do not want to?"

   "No, I..."

   Dark raised an eyebrow. "You what, my lord? I have heard she was a rare beauty."

   It was a strange sight, to see the prince out. "I... I love another." Of their own will, his eyes darted to his young charge, hoping his attendant would not notice. That was when he noticed the held-in tears. "Yugi? Yugi, what's wrong?"

   The boy blinked innocently and shook his head, as if indicating that no, nothing was wrong. But he knew the prince could see through the act. He wondered why Dark said that, knowing that he loved Yami. He wondered if the one Yami loved was him... _He just met me yesterday!_ Yugi's mind scolded. _Why would he love me? And I... I will die..._

   "Yugi, please... Tell me what's wrong..." The prince hesitated, realizing the ridiculousness of that statement. "Er... I mean..." He sighed, and, not knowing what to do, pulled the boy into a hug. He knew how hard it was going to be, to control himself in the presence of the one he loved. The soft, warm, frail body pressed against him, their thin summer garments doing nothing to stop the transfer of heat and the texture of the other's body to seep through. Yami buried his face into the younger boy's sweet-smelling hair. No one could possibly be as beautiful or as gentle as the strange boy his heart had chosen. No one.

   He smiled as the boy's arms reached for him...

   "Your Highness?" A timid servant approached the three. "Your Highness, your carriage awaits."

   The prince stood up, slowly untangling himself from the younger boy. "All right. Dark, Yugi, let's go."

   "Y-your Highness!" The servant's face was flushed. "There is only room for you, besides the driver..."

   "Nonsense!" Yami grinned widely, terrifying the poor servant. "Mahaado can drive just fine, and I am _certain_ that Yugi can fit somewhere. Or..." The prince sent him a half-glare. "...Do you meant to say that I am wrong?"

   The servant gulped, rapidly trying to break away without looking like he was doing so. The first rule that any of them learned was, "_Unless the King says otherwise, the Prince is never wrong._" "N-no, Your Highness. Of course not."

   "Then I presume I may leave?" The youth's polite question contrasted sharply with his narrowed eyes. "There are no problems with my arrangement? Good. You may inform the driver that he is to serve my... _friends_... instead today."

   "Y-yes, Your Highness. Straight away." The servant bowed hurriedly and scrambled away.

   Mahaado smirked, voicing Yugi's thoughts. "Sadistic much, my prince? I almost feel sorry for him."

   "Ah, he deserved it," the prince declared cheerfully. "And Jou would make good use of that driver."

   Indeed, half an hour later found the aforementioned golden-haired teen with his lover and friends, chattering happily -- and somewhat traumatizing the poor driver with their suggestive bickering -- on their way to a fair.

   Meanwhile, Yugi tugged on his prince's sleeve again, a question evident in his eyes. 'Where are we going?'

   "Oh... you what to know where we're off to?" The prince grinned at the boy's eager nod. "Well... We're going to see Count Domino and his daughter... but don't worry! I'll make the visit as short as possible. Then, we can come home and... um..." _And sleep together! Yes, what a wonderful idea-- What am I thinking?!_

   The shorter boy nodded, his excitement dulled. He was sure this girl was nice and all, but Yami was supposed to be _his_! Their destinies became entwined at that meeting. If... if his prince were to marry her... He would...

   _But I knew I was going to die already... didn't I? And... if I didn't, someone else will. I would rather it be me..._

   "Oh, come now, it can't be that bad." Yami wrapped an arm around the boy's thin shoulders, pulling him close. "Please, sweet Yugi, don't' look like that... Please, smile for me?"

   Smile, he did. A bright light seemed to bloom from his porcelain face, gentle, beautiful. In the deep, cold shadows of his heart, however, there yet dwelt tears, piercing his mask of fragile joy like icy shards.

   _I will smile. Even upon my death, I will smile for him. No more tears... no more... He needs not be hurt._

   The prince clapped in delight, not knowing of the little beauty's plight. "You are so radiant like that!"

   Only the shadow mage Dark understood, as he closed his steely cerulean eyes and shared in the mer-boy's pain.

   And still, Yugi smiled, just for his love. Were the world to know, it would weep its heart out...

   The eternal smile remained upon the boy's face during the carriage ride. Some of it was actually real, for, to accommodate Yugi in the crowded space, the prince set him on his lap. The mer-boy figured, in a desperate manner never before seen in him, that if he were destined to die, he might as well enjoy himself now. Right...?

   "By the way, Yugi..." The prince fiddled with a package beside him nervously, a light blush rising in his cheeks. "I um... have a present for you. It's... ah... here." That being said, he shoved the package that he retrieved that morning from the merchant at the shorter boy.

   'Hmmmmmm?' Yugi poked the wrapped-up bundle curiously, feeling a rectangular box that shook as they rode along. It was rather heavy, too. Giving into his curiosity, which poked _him_ in the same manner, he unwrapped the cloth bag, to find... a box, just like he had suspected. Sunlight and onyx, it glimmered mystically, entrapping his soul.

   The boy looked up questioningly, wondering just what was in the little box.

   "Open it," the prince urged, smiling softly at his little guest. "If... if you could complete it, we could hear each other's thoughts..."

   'Thoughts... Mind... Heart... Love...'

   The younger boy smiled, for a moment taken by actual joy. Gratitude shone from his features, for more reasons than the young prince could suspect. His thoughts... His thought could grant him his life... Hope replaced the despair, the dark acceptance of his fate.

   However... If he did not die...

   If he were to live, then who would die?

   A gentle hand reached up, running long, slender fingers through Yugi's silken hair, and the crimson-eyed youth sighed in content. In his own mind, he was almost purring. There was his beauty, sitting on his lap, and starting already the task of completing the Sennen Puzzle, the object granted only to the few Chosen.

   _Chosen by who...?_ For a moment, the prince considered the question. _Chosen... for what purpose? Why am I one...? What is in store for me? What is expected of me?_

   Figuring that all that was pointless, he shook his head, setting aside his musings for the here and now. And he knew, that he would be one of the few fortunate ones, who would be able to say that they _enjoyed_ reality, enjoyed the time they were given. He would be one of the few to say that he was now satisfied with what life had given him, that he no longer needed to dream.

   But why? Why was there such a deep sadness that he could sense within the younger boy? Why did he seem to cry within, even while his silent laughter seemed to ring out? What was his secret... and why did it bring Yami such fear as he had never before felt? It was the only thing that had ever shaken his ever-present confidence, though only a little.

   As the prince pondered these questions, Mahaado, royal magician and the prince's own attendant, studied his liege lord and their newly-acquired guest. The attraction between the two was simple enough for even a child to see... yet they could not understand it... did not _dare_ to believe it, lest it proves false. Such, he had heard, was the fate of the emotion called "love".

   However, he knew something his prince did not... or, perhaps as the love, simply could not believe. He knew who -- and more specifically, _what_ -- the child-like boy was.

   Mermaid.

   Child of the Sea.

   Treasure of the Sea...

   A dangerous match, they were. The heir of both kingdoms... the kingdoms secretly at war. He did not know by what sorcery the mer-prince was turned into a human peasant boy, but he could tell easily enough that their King was not going to be pleased.

   In fact, even open war may break out. What would the prince do, then? Would he return his lover to save his people? And more importantly... How would the mer-boy react? How far was he willing to go for his next-to-impossible love? How much was he willing to sacrifice?

   _Everything._

   _I know... I know he would..._

   For a moment, cold cerulean eyes shut, as crystal droplets were quickly blinked away, as if they had never existed in the first place. He was a magician. He had long ago learned to control his emotions at the premonition of death. He had seen the blood moon, on that day, seemingly so long ago. He, too, knew its significance. However, he had realized, too late, _which_ mermaid had come to visit his master...

   It should not have been possible, he knew. The guarded Treasure of the Sea... the ocean King's beloved grandson... He should never have been allowed to come to the surface. It was for the humans' protection as much as for the aquatic creatures'. Too many threads of magic lead to him, too many destinies...

   _I could see the magic as well as the witch who bespelled him... If I could foresee the tide of doom, so could she. Why did she not stop him...? Why..._

   However, the answer was there already. He knew that there was little choice. _No_ choice.

   _It brings hope. It is the _only_ path that leads away from the certainty of death._

   He sighed. They could but wait and see... see if hope holds true, if hearts holds sway over mind, if, for once, love would not be shattered into dust scattered upon the four winds.

   _Hope._ What joke. Lessons in his skill had taught him to never hope, to trust only what he could attain with his own skills. But this... This was far beyond him, far beyond the skills of any who live upon this earth.

   _Hope._ What else was there...?

   Yugi stared intently at the delicate flower in his hands, running deft fingers gently over its petals... petals like trails of blood... He had found it within a pile of other floral plants at the back of the royal carriage, and had taken it to occupy himself while his prince was busy greeting the Count of Domino and his daughter. He had wanted to work on the puzzle that his prince had given him, but, somehow, it felt out of place here, as if it did not belong... as if it _should not_ be brought into this household.

   Idly, almost of their own will, his slim fingers gently tugged free one of the scarlet tendrils, letting it scatter into the wind. _He loves me..._

   He had seen children play this game before, during one of the few times his sister had helped him sneak to the shore, allowed him to view the human world in the light of the sun, to view their children... singing, playing... It was a game of sorts that he had seen many young girls play, gently picking petals off of a daisy, trying to tell, as if by some mystic, if their chosen one loved them. _He loves me not..._

   Though this was no daisy, the young mer-boy figured it would do. _He loves me..._

   Amaranth, was it? That was what his sister had said, when she showed one to him that day, less than an hour before his meeting of the human prince. _He loves me not..._

   The "ever-flower", she had called it. What did that mean? What magical qualities did it have? He wondered if perhaps, it could make his dream come true. _He loves me..._

   She had said that it grew only in the royal garden... or was that what Dark had told him, noticing his interest? It would not grow anywhere else... _He loves me not..._

   Feeling a sudden fear seize him, Yugi wondered, as pain gripped his heart, what would happen if the flower told him that Yami did not, in fact, love him. Of course, he knew that it was absolutely ridiculous to listen to what a _flower_ said, but... still... it was sure to be a dark omen. And, after seeing himself under a spell, he was no longer doubting the existence of magic... _He loves me..._

   "Hmmmmmm, Yugi? What are you doing?"

   The violet-eyed boy spun around in surprise at the deep voice, its tone amused. Amethyst met ruby, one shocked, one laughing. How long had the prince been watching him? Could he tell what he had been doing? For once, the boy was glad of the loss of his voice, glad that he could not speak aloud to himself and be overheard.

   The taller youth took a few steps forward, cupping the mer-boy's hands in his own and bringing them closer to his face to inspect their contents. "A flower?" A soft smile graced his lips, a secret smile shown only to his little beauty. "Do you like these? I should take you to the garden some time, where these bloom..."

   Yugi nodded, unconsciously scooting closer.

   "The Amaranth..." the prince murmured, his arms moving to wrap around the child-like boy, as if protecting him from the harsh world. "The ever-flower of legends, which never fades or dies..." His lips twisted a little, almost into a slight sneer. "My father planted them to symbolize that our power will never fall. But these are not from poets' tales... These are living, growing plants. Each winter, they wither, and each spring, they return. My father spends much of his wealth on them. They are hard to come by, and harder still to raise, requiring the best soil and a very precise amount of water and sunlight."

   The shorter boy nodded again, indicating that he was listening. So these flowers were not magical after all... He wished that they were... that there was some form of miracle he could believe in...

   'Meep!'

   Yugi would have squeaked out loud had he been able to, as he was lifted off of his feet.

   "So light, almost like a feather..." the prince murmured, cradling the mer-boy close. "I bet you could fly upon the wind..."

   Without warning, spun in place, laughing softly as his young charge was airborne. The boy's face was flushed with excitement, with genuine cheerfulness. Slowly, at first hesitant, he spread his arms like wings, trusting his prince to hold on, to keep him safe. He could feel the breeze rush by him, bringing a welcomed chill in the hot summer. Free! He could fly... fly... upon the air as he had once done through the water... For a moment, that reminded him of his fate. No matter what happened now, he could never return to his home... Though he flew free, his life was not...

   Gently, Yami slowed down, waiting as the lavender-eyed boy fell again to the earth, his movements lithe and graceful. At the gradual sadness in his eyes, the prince reached down, cupping his chin in one hand and turning his view upwards.

   "What's wrong, Yugi...? Why so disheartened all of a sudden?"

   The boy shook his head, silently berating himself. No tears... No tears... He must give only smiles to his prince. He would take all the pain for his love...

   When he turned back, the sweet smile that held behind it a touch of the sadness of its origin was back upon his lips.

   A head popped into the room, after its owner knocked on the door softly. "Your Highness...? My father said to tell you that the carriage is ready. If it would please Your Highness to return to the castle now...?"

   The prince nodded, the mood suddenly quieting. His hand searched out that of the shorter boy, holding it firmly, with just the slightest hint of one clutching a lifeline. "Come on, Yugi. It's time to go back. We have achieved what we need to here."

   The mer-boy nodded, though his gaze was fixed upon the girl who had come to get them. He tugged on his prince's sleeve curiously.

   "Hmmmm?" Yami blinked, realizing the direction of his gaze. "Oh... I suppose we would need introductions."

   The girl stepped forward, extending her hand with a cheerful smile. "Hi, I am Anzu, the Count's daughter. It's nice to meet you. And you are...?"

   "He is Yugi," the prince answered, as the boy shook her hand. "My guest. He... cannot talk."

   Anzu nodded, accepting this fact, and noting the way the prince acted. Soft... Gentle... Tender. Is that boy the reason why the prince could not -- _would_ not -- marry her for love? From a physical point of view, he was, indeed, immensely beautiful, much more so than her... In fact, exceeding even most -- if not all -- of the women she had ever seen. He combined the best of child and adult, with a pure, naïve innocence, and a slim, shapely body. Pale skin seemed to glow on his slender figure, hinting at soft flesh underneath with the slightest bit of muscles. Amethyst eyes, ruby lips, hair of sun-kissed gold and ebony like the night sky without stars... And when he moved, it was with the practiced grace of a dancer... with the choppy rhythm of an infant. He was of precious gems and sharp contrast. (A/N: Heh, had to describe _something_, and furniture was just not interesting.)

   However, she knew for a fact that the prince, well-spoken of by almost everyone, was not as superficial as this. So what else did he see in this youth, this whirlpool of innocent seduction, this timid beauty?

   And the funny thing was, he did not yet seem to know of the prince's attraction.

   _So... She is the one who would, though unintentionally, take my Yami away from me..._

   He studied her, even as she tried to figure out his mystery. Though no great beauty, she was certainly pretty, with a touch of his own innocence. Her heart-shaped face, framed by short auburn hair, was beset by wide azure eyes that bespoke kindness and understanding. She would lead the people well, he knew, with wisdom and justice. (A/N: Sorry, not as prettily descriptive as Yugi-chan. I'm not entirely interested in describing a girl.)

   The prince shook his head, his sigh breaking the silence. "Come on, let's go back now..."

   At the prince's arrival, the castle servants near the gates scurried to greet him in a flurry. One, probably of a slightly higher rank than the others, opened the carriage door, leading down the countess Anzu. Inside, Yami sat cradling the mer-boy against his chest. During the course of their short "journey", he had fallen asleep, and the prince was very reluctant to wake him.

   The ruby-eyed youth made an easy decision. It gave him more time to stay with Yugi, and also meant he did not need to escort "his lady" everywhere. In fact, if he was lucky, he would not have to see her again until the next day, and never again after that.

   He rolled that thought around in his mind. Perhaps it was a bit harsh. He was sure he would have liked her a whole lot more, if she weren't interfering with his love life. In fact, he would be glad to have her as a friend... but only as a friend. His heart had already been given.

   "Your Highness...?" Everyone waited for his command.

   Yami spoke curtly. "Take the countess to my father, and inform him that I have brought her here. I am going to stay here and watch over my _guest_ until he has awaken. By then, the countess would probably be occupied already, and thus would have no need of my company. Inform all the servants that I am not to be bothered."

   "Yes, Your Highness."

   As they walked away, the prince glanced down at the figure resting in his arms, and a soft smile broke his stern demeanour. Gently, he brushed a stray bang from out of the boy's eyes, veiled behind dark lashes. Delicate, fragile... and so very strong. Though he did not know the reason for the boy's sadness, the youth knew that it existed. Especially now... in his sleeping form... peace and tranquility covered him, tainted by undeniable pain.

   _I wish you could tell me, Yugi..._

   His vision blurred.

   _I wish I could help you..._

   He wondered, for a moment, if it was wrong... this attraction for this teen. Oh, he did not care at all that the object of his affection was a boy. That was not important to him. What was, however... was... the mermaid child who had saved him...

   _They look so similar... They move with the same shy grace..._

   Could he merely be _thinking_ that he was in love...? Could he be feeling this emotion only because he was so desperate to repay his rescuer, that he would try to be with someone _like_ him...?

   "Dark..." He turned, as he always did, to his most trusted friend, the one he always went to for counsel.

   "Hmmmm?"

   "Dark, _do_ I love him?"

   "Do you think I could look into your heart?"

   A twisted smirk accompanied the prince's bitter laugh. "Yes. I know you could... _can_... So please, look within me and tell me if I love him or not."

   The magician shook his head, piercing steel-blue eyes hiding behind his curtain of violet hair. "You already know."

   "No I don't!" Yami seemed, almost, to throw a princely tantrum. "If I knew, why would I be asking you? Tell me! Tell me..."

   The taller of the two looked away with a curt chuckle. "My prince, if I told you that you do not, would you believe me? If I told you that you do not, would you suddenly stop loving him...?"

   The prince could only stare as his attendant bowed and left.

   "Magicians!" He pitched his voice into a stage whisper, knowing it would carry. "Always like that, never giving a straight answer."

   "If we always gave straight answers," Dark replied with a laugh, "then who would come to us for advice...?"

   The prince was left to stare and blink at the magician's back, trying to figure out how that logic worked.

   Almost as if on cue, the bundle in his arms moved, trying to burrow closer to him. However, the mer-boy soon figured out, even in his half-asleep state, that it was much more difficult to burrow into humans than soil, especially the warm body pressed against him. It was even more firm and muscular than most people.

   Warm body...? Firm muscles?

   Something was not adding up, and the amethyst-eyed boy was determined to find out what, all without opening his eyes. That seemed to be one of his favourite activities of late.

   A soft chuckle broke Yugi's concentration, and he pouted in slight annoyance. Could the person not see that he was trying to figure something out? Something like... who he was half-lying on, and why his "pillow" rumbled a second ago.

   "Tired, Yugi...?"

   The boy took a while to ponder this question. Was he tired? Tired... What was "tired"? However, considering that he could not even remember something as simple as that, he decided that he probably was, indeed, tired.

   "Yugi...?"

   Violet eyes, open just a slit, stared up in confusion. What now? Did he forget to... Ah, answer. He forgot to answer the man's question. He nodded. He felt as if he should be nodding... In truth, he had no idea what he was doing.

   "Just hold on a short while, Yugi," the person holding him murmured, voice husky and beautiful. "I'll take you back to my room. You'll be more comfortable sleeping in a bed than like this..."

   The large, gentle eyes fluttered open again, as their owner absently nodded. Bed. Comfortable. Right. Sleeping... Sleep...

   The last thing he remembered before drifting off again was a field of crimson... Pools of blood... Pools of amaranth petals...

   "Tomorrow? What do you mean, tomorrow?! I will not...!!"

   "Y-your Highness, I apologize. Your f-f-father c-commanded this. I cannot..."

   "I don't care! I'm not doing it tomorrow!"

   So loud... They were so loud... The boy lying in bed pulled up his sheets, buried his head under the many pillows strewn around him. What were they arguing about? He could not understand.

   "P-pl-please see reason, Your H-highness... Y-your father only wants th-the b-b-best for you..."

   A deep breath, a long sigh. The voice was calmer now.

   "I understand. But please, ask my father to reconsider. So soon... I know he said that it would be soon, but I never though...! Tomorrow! I am not ready. Not yet. Not _ever_..."

   "I will relay your message, Your Highness. However, His Majesty seemed determined that it be tomorrow."

   A door opening, closing... Ragged breaths, low growls...

   Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Yugi peeked out from his position of safety, his protection against noises. There was his prince, his back turned to the bed, staring at the door, his fists clenched tightly. The boy wanted to call out, but no voice came. For a moment, he was confused, before remembering who he was.

   _Child of the Sea... Forbidden spell, forbidden land, forbidden love..._

   Still, he had to get his prince's attention, to sooth his anger... and pain, it appeared.

   Deciding the only course of action was to go over, the mer-boy climbed out of bed, wincing as his feet hit the ground. Putting the pain into the back of his mind, like he did so many times before, he pattered over to the object of his affections, wrapping slender arms around the slim, leather-clad waist, resting his head against the taller youth's back.

   "Ah... Yugi..." The prince turned, so that he was face-to-face with his little beauty, tangling his hands into the smaller boy's hair and pulling him close. "You have awaken...?"

   The boy nodded, lilac eyes staring up, wide with trust. He gestured towards the door, mimicking yelling and the prince scowling, bringing a laughter from the royal teen.

   "So, you want to know what happened?" He did not need to wait to know the boy would nod. "A servant came with a... message... from my father. I am to wed the Lady Anzu. Tomorrow."

   Yugi stiffened, shock coursing through him. What curse was this? Tomorrow... The last day he had with his prince... Must even that be ruined? Must even that little bit of his happiness be destroyed? One day... Just one day left... And on that day, his love would belong to someone else...

   "Please believe me, Yugi," the prince beseeched, pulling him close. "I do not want this. I would _never_ want that. I... I can't believe this... I only had two days... Only two days with... you..."

   The boy tilted his head, peering at the taller teen through his ebony lashes. _With... me...? Does he want to spend time with me? Does he, would he, could he..._

   The youth shook his head. "No, it's nothing. Forget that I said anything. I... But I still... don't want to marry her..."

   "Then who do you want to marry?"

   Both boys spun around, towards the new voice. The door was still tightly shut, and they had heard no footsteps. But there, casually leaning against the wall, was the violet-clad magician, piercing azure eyes seeming to look straight into their souls.

   The prince blushed. "D-dark, what are you..."

   "Have I lost the privilege enter in the prince's chamber?"

   "No, of course not. But why...?"

   "Because..." The magician smirked. "_Someone_ has to knock some sense back into your head."

   "Knock some sense into my head?" Yami blinked, instinctively pushing Yugi behind him, fearing a fight with his own protector. "Are you here, too, on my father's orders? Are you also trying to convince me to marry Anzu?"

   "Oh, is that the impression I gave?" Dark raised an eyebrow. "Then I apologize, _my prince_. But fear not. I have never -- and would never -- follow anyone's orders above yours. My liege is you."

   In a moment, the tension left the room, and the prince relaxed, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Then... what have you come for? What type of sense are you going to 'knock back into my head', as you oh-so-sophisticatedly put it?"

   "That is for you to figure out."

   "...What?"

   The court mage bowed. "My job is done, Highness. Consider my questions, that you do not make an incorrigible mistake... lose an irreplaceable possession."

   "Daaaaaark." Yugi was amused to notice that the calm, composed prince could pout.

   The magician smirked, answering in the same, childish fashion. "Whaaaaaaaat?"

   Yami pouted again, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his back. "Fine, be that way."

   Dark grinned. "I will, _Highness_. Always." As he left, he threw one more comment over his shoulder. "By the way, my prince, your friend _Jounouchi_ sends his regards."

   "Wha?"

   A lock clicking shut was all he heard; a door gently shutting all he saw as he spun around.

   Yugi, watching at the side, giggled at the prince's plight. He was met with a sour look.  
   "It's not funny!"

   The shorter boy nodded, still laughing, as if to say, "Yes it is."

   The prince sulked, stalking over to his bed and plopping down, turning away. "Hmph. It seems that _everyone_ knows what's going on except for me. Dark certainly does, and by his parting comment, so does Jounouchi. And if Jou knows, I would bet that the rest of my friends do too."

   Yugi blinked curiously, scrambling onto the bed beside his prince and resting his elbows on the older teen's side, leaning over to look at him.

   "I bet _you_ know too, don't you?"

   The boy tilted his head. 'Know what?'

   "What Dark was talking about. You know, don't you? Else, why were you laughing?"

   The violet-eyed boy shook his head. He was just as lost as his prince in this matter. The laughter was merely amusement at his prince's antics.

   "If you say so..." The prince was feeling a little uncomfortable right now. No, scratch that. _Very_ uncomfortable. And it was due to his beauty's presence beside him. It was almost unbearable, that feeling. "Y-yugi... Can you, ah, not be so close? I'm sorry, I..."

   Like a startled deer, the boy all but leapt off, fighting back tears. _What have I done...? I... I should have tried to suppress this love when it started. I should have never... I should not have hoped... I... He... Of _course_ he wouldn't want me around._

   _Ouch._ Yami clenched his teeth. _I didn't mean... for him to leave like that... I didn't want to..._

   _"Because... _Someone_ has to knock some sense back into your head."_

   _Why am I thinking _that_?! What does that have to do with anything... What am I doing? What... Yugi... Why is Yugi crying...?_

   "Yugi?"

   The mer-boy backed away, staring at the ground in... shame?

   "Yugi, wait, I didn't mean..."

   For every step forward the prince took, the amethyst-eyed boy moved backwards.

   _Fool. I was a fool. I believed... I wanted so much to believe..._

   "Yugi, wait."

   It was no use.

   "Yugi, please! Stop and let me explain!"

   The boy paused momentarily, slightly shocked by the firmness, the strength, the... passion... of that voice. Tears continued to run down his cheeks, a torrent of diamonds. Tears that should have been impossible for him... as it was for the rest of his people...

   In a few quick strides, the prince was over, wrapping his arms around the tiny body and pulling his beauty close, securely entrapping him. "Yugi… Listen to me…"

   The shorter boy looked up, eyes still glistening, pools of liquid quartz. Listen… He could listen… Right…?

   "I didn't mean for you to leave like that," Yami murmured softly, reaching up with one hand and running it through the boy's silky hair. "I just wanted you to step away a tiny bit, because it was a bit uncomfortable, um, in a, ah, certain place."

   Yugi blinked, tilting his head in question. 'Certain place…?'

   "Uh… It's…" The older teen shook his head. "No, no, you're too innocent for this anyway. I shouldn't have said anything. Forget everything… And… and… don't leave again."

   As distraction, he leaned down, gently kissing the mer-boy's eyes, kissing away his tears. They were salty, of course, but… somehow different. Clearer. Purer.

   _Too innocent for…_ The boy blinked, eyes widening as he felt something dig into his body. Finally realizing what the prince was talking about, he blushed brightly.

   "Ah, so, you… figured it out?"

   Yugi nodded, resisting the urge to giggle.

   _So he does love me after all… doesn't he…?_

   The prince looked away, hesitating. "I… I'm… sorry. I didn't mean to bring this trouble upon you. I can't help it! I… How can I help what I feel? But don't worry, I won't do anything to you that you don't want, and…"

   He was completely unprepared to meet petal-soft lips upon his. Sweet, beautiful, breathtaking… Yami felt his spirit lift up. It took a while for his intoxicated mind to see what was happening. He was being kissed. By Yugi. By the object of his dreams, his affections.

   If there was one moment that he could wish would last forever, it was this. The moment of realization, of love, of pure unbound emotions. The prince could feel the soft, warm body of the boy he loved pressed against him, arms entwined around his neck, clutching his hair, pulling down his head, pulling him deeper into the kiss. The lips… silky, crimson, slightly swollen and bruised… beautiful. They tasted sweeter than honey, purer than the crystal air over the mesmerizing ocean. Looking into those eyes, he knew he had fallen deeper into this trap than any other. He would never get out again… from this trap called "love".

   Purring like a great cat, the prince advanced, driving his beauty back, ever guiding him towards the canopy bed, decked with silken sheets. Love. They were both in love. So why not… why not have the night together… as lover truly were meant to be…

   "Yugi… would you… could you…"

   The small head nodded, violet eyes wide and trusting. The agreement was made. There was no more need for words.

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You want to know what's next? Well, what's next is a lemon. Which isn't gonna be posted here. Which I haven't written anyway.

Alrighty, when the lemon's up (I'll get it up before Valentine's Day, I promise), it's gonna be at w ww.geociti es.c om/king offics/amaranth_lemon.htm. Just take out the spaces. *nods* Um. Anyway… For those of you who DON'T wanna read a lemon… Basically, what happens is that Anzu happens to walk in, and Yami declares that though he would have to marry her, though he may tolerate her, his love is given to Yugi alone.

And I've decided I like the lemon's ending much better than the normal one, so I'm keeping that ending. I suggest you read it. The first half is pretty much safe. It took a page and a half to get them to take off their clothes. *sweatdrop* After Anzu breaks in (er, I mean walks in ^_~) and gets thrown out (leaves), then… the lemon kinda starts. Except not for another bit. Because I'm shy about lemons and I was "delaying the inevitable", as Sage puts it. -_-; Anyway, yes. I like how my lemon ended. If you don't wanna read the lemon, the last three paragraphs are safe, and form the nice ending with which I'm rather satisfied. ^_^

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Hope you enjoyed that. Took me long enough to write, ne? ^_^;;

Please R&R!

Yugi: And she's updating "What is Gentleness" next. ^_^ She's FINALLY completing that half-chapter she had up a few months ago. ^_^;


	4. Sacrifice of My Heart

Oh, lookies, I'm updating. ^_^;; Yes, I'll update the other fics eventually. Hopefully sometime soon. *nods*

I have… FINALLY finished the lemon. ^_^;; I've put the location on the last chapter. I would appreciate comments. It took about forever.

Disclaimer: Neither Yu-Gi-Oh nor The Little Mermaid belong to me. How sad. Even the flower "amaranth" doesn't. *sulks* I don't own the song near the end of the ficcy, either. It's part of the song "On My Own" from "Les Misérables". The first and last verses, to be specific.

Warning: Yaoi! Yummy (I hope) yaoi! YxY. The other couples are mentioned, but unimportant.

*thinks* What else? Oh yes. I put this in my profile and the other ficcy I posted, but I figure more people would read this fic... Anyway. Ahem. I'm hosting my own fanfic contest. It's at w ww. geocities.c om/kingof fics (just take out the random spaces). Please enter? *chibi eyes* If lots of people enter, I'll be really really happy and I'll update faster. ^_________^ (Bribe? Me? Oh, noooooo, I don't ask for bribes, whatever ARE you talking about?)

Hmm, since I'm unusually chatty right now, maybe I'll write a bit in the A/N? If you just wanna read the story, this part's unimportant. I just wanna rant. Because I'm slightly bored right now. I'm at co-op right now and attempting to model a 3-D kitty. It's taking forever, though, and I'm starting to run out of patience. And to make it worse, I've noooooo idea what a kitty is supposed to look like. ^_^;; I mean, I can draw a cat alright, but now that I have to have all the anatomy correct and know the entire structure, and... @_@ Ah well. Better finish the cat soon. I wanna model my pretty-boy Kyrenai next. In a dress. :P

Oh, BTW, this is the 2nd-to-last chapter left. Don't you feel sooooooooooo glad. *sarcasm* Yes, I know it's been kinda short. Just 5 chapters in total. But, you know, each chapter _is_ kinda long. ^_^;

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Chapter 4: _Sacrifice of My Heart___

   A beautiful day dawned upon heavy souls laden with unshed tears. Soft, golden sunlight danced across silky skin, cheeks stained with trails of tried tears. Violet eyes did not want to open, did not want to accept the painful reality. The last day... the last day of his life, and he was not allowed to share it with the one he loved.

   "Shhhh, what is it, sweet one?"

   Yugi shook his head. Even had he been willing to burden the prince with his problems, he could not speak.

   "Are you upset because I'm marrying her?" Yami turned onto his side, gathering the mer-boy close in his arms, his blood-red eyes overflowing with concern. "Don't worry, my love. It's only for one day. After today, I could spend my time with you again.

   The younger boy sighed silently. 'There _is_ nothing after today. After today… I will no longer exist…'

   But his prince did not know that. And what he did not know… would not hurt him.

   _But it would, wouldn't it?_ His mind was caught in an internal struggle. He could not bring himself to come to any conclusion. _When… he finds at dawn that I am gone forever…_ Gentle amethyst eyes were downcast, tearful. _But that will be dawn. If… if I could somehow tell him, even then it would not be better. It would be worse. Because, then, he would hurt _now_ instead of later._

   What was the Prince of the sea to do?

      "Yugi... Yugi, please don't cry." Firm hands with slender fingers caressed his cheeks tenderly, as soft lips kissed away crystalline tears. "I, too, wish it would not happen, but it is my father's wish. Until my coronation, he is still King... and my father and liege."

   The mer-boy nodded, burying his face in his lover's chest, pressing himself as close as he possibly could. _Let the memory of last night stay forever... In the coldness of death, let me feel his body's heat, the fire of his passion..._

   In these last moments of peace, the two forbidden lovers, princes of peoples forever at war, embraced as if the world was going to end. And what was to say it was not?

   Golden sunlight complimented them, dancing off of skin of molten topaz and pearl. In this light, they glimmered, a mystical illusion, an epitome of perfection never achievable in reality. The snowy clouds, the wheeling seabirds, the fragile butterflies flying in the wind with fragrant petals of a myriad of different flowers... They were the only witnesses to this display of utmost beauty.

   As a bell tolled in the city, high on top of a clock tower, signaling the late hour of the morning, the two princes pulled away from each other in heartbreaking pain. Rising gracefully from his bed, Yami strode across carpeted floor to a set of large glass doors, shaped like domed windows. Opening them, he stepped out to a balcony of carved stone, pulling a thin robe around himself. Stepping out, he raised his head high, closing his eyes momentarily as a wind sifted through his multi-coloured tresses. Though adorned in nothing but a simple linen robe of the deepest ebony, the proud arch of his back, the haughty set of his head, his stances and movements, marked his royal heritage more strongly than any crown could have.

   _Born to be King..._

   Yugi blushed shyly as the prince beckoned for him, lightly sliding to the ground and wrapping his blanket around his body and pattering across the floor like winged fairies flitting over blades of grass. Seeing his delicate, hesitant form, Yami wondered idly if he should have been more careful the night before. However, aside from a slight limp in his walk and a light, suppressed wince upon his full lips, the younger boy seemed fine. Those symptoms were to be expected, after all, but that did not mean the prince needed to be happy about them.

   Deciding that it was much too difficult for his little beauty to walk even the short distance between the bed and the balcony, the prince went back, gently scooping him into his arms and holding him tight. Yugi gave a soundless squeak and blushed brightly, bringing a laugh from his lover.

   "This is how I like you," Yami purred, hot breath tickling the younger boy's ear. "Helpless and in my arms. Mine, forever..."

   Though displaying a smile, the mer-boy suppressed a grimace of pain. _Forever... There is only today left in this "forever"..._

   Carefully, the prince set his beloved angel on the wide railing of the balcony, watching as the gauzy, silky blanket swirled around legs in the wind as they dangled in the air. Like a dress it was, fluttering freely, seeming to be fragile as dragonfly wings. Smooth and shimmering, it clung to the boy's shapely body.

   Yami smiled, garnet eyes deep and soft. "You are... such a beauty. No one could compare. No man, no _woman_, even, in this kingdom could come even close." The smile trembled for a moment, as he reached out a hand to brush a strand of the boy's sun-kissed bangs, suddenly afraid. "Sometimes, I wonder if you're _real_. Or... are you just a spectral image, supplied by my own delusional mind? You are too sweet, too perfect." He let out a breath softly, fearing to disturb the air before him. "Who are you, Yugi? What are you?"

   The younger boy merely stared back, a level gaze the tint of the sunset sky reflected in purest diamonds, the wide eyes silently saying, "You know."

   _Yes... Yes I do. Now is not the time to see, the time to believe... But I know._

   "_And into the sea they were driven,_" Yami murmured, "_their tears cresting the waves, their anger riding the lightning. Of all things in the world, hearts were the strongest... and the most fragile. Rend were their hearts, shattered was their hope. They will never trust again. And thus, you are cursed... cursed..._"

   Yugi tilted his head, questioning those words. They felt familiar. They felt... as if they belonged, in that moment.

   "A passage from a book," the prince answered, eyes of clouded blood gazing down, at the sea raging against the cliff beneath his balcony. "A book that was given into my keeping... about the origin of mermaids. Such pain, such tragedy... And nothing was resolved. The book is not complete. It will not be, in my lifetime."

   _A prophecy._ The mer-boy, more in tune with magic, could recognize the aura of power behind those seemingly idle but undeniably intense words. _A prophecy... about a story I am well familiar with. So... he is the keeper of the Human counterpart of the story depicting the Human-Mermaid war. He is the plain-born child of theirs... who yet possesses enough of the old blood to have a spark of magic._

   "Yugi? Yugi, what's wrong?"

   A slight shake of the tri-coloured head was his only answer. He knew, he understood. Their time grew short. There was no more time to speak, only to rest and be comforted by each other, but the presence of the one each loved.

   A soft knock at the door, expected by not welcomed, signaled the return of time, and the destruction of the last free moments the lovers had. Now, a rift separated them, so painful to their hearts as to be almost physical and real. With a helpless stare, a moment of gathering tears never again to exist, the prince opened the door, admitting the golden-haired Jounouchi.

   "Yami... Your... your father calls." The normally cheerful youth was glum, his honey-coloured eyes downcast, a sandaled foot scuffing at the ground nervously. "He requests your presence at the breakfast table. You are to..." Jou swallowed a lump in his throat. "You are to go alone. He said... he said that if you _must_ be stubborn and bring someone, you can take Dark. But not Yugi. H-his majesty specifically ordered that Yugi is to stay with us."

   Eyes of blood froze, all light and warmth dissipating. The prince nodded curtly, letting years of training take over. "So that is how it must be. Take good care of Yugi."

   _Leaving... he is leaving... My prince, no... stay with me..._

_   Yugi... Yugi, my love, I am sorry. I will be back. Wait for me..._

   Finally realizing his vulnerability, his own mortality, Yugi watched as the man he loved walked out the door, a violet shadow that he had recognized to be Dark trailing after. Though knowing he would return, he felt a sense of finality, of everything simply _ending_ in that instant. It would never be the same again. Never.

   Jou cleared his throat, trying desperately to break the awkward silence. "Say, um, Yug, d'you want to come with us? We're a poor substitute for your beloved prince, but at least you won't be amongst strangers. We'll protect you. And we'll... we'll take you to the wedding if you want."

   His mind blank, Yugi nodded. Yes. He would go with Yami's friends. He needed something, _anything_, to keep him occupied. Maybe, if he stayed busy enough, he could forget, if only for the moment. Maybe, somehow, they could give him _something_ that could fill in the sheer emptiness he felt inside.

   Gently, the blonde grasped a delicate, pale wrist. "Yug? Yug, are you all right?"

   The mer-boy shook his head, hugging himself around the torso and shivering. 'Empty... so empty...'

   The taller youth hugged him slightly, leading him away with an arm around his shoulders. "D'you feel like if there's nothing inside? Like you should be sad, like you want to cry, but you can't even do that? I've felt that way once, when I thought that Seto..." His voice drifted off, unwilling to relieve the memory. "Anyway, it was bad. So I know how you feel. I'll... we'll _all_ try to make you feel better, all right? I know you think that you're losing Yami, but, believe me, you're not. He chose _you_, Yug, not her. They'll... they'll make him be with her today, but... after that, he'll be yours again."

   Yugi offered a weak smile, grateful for the attempt. They did not know... that there _was_ no "after today" for him. He had only one thing to grab before going with Jounouchi. Even if for a little while, he would give Yami his wish.

   With the heavily decorated box holding the golden pieces of what Yami told him was the "Sennen Puzzle", the amethyst-eyed mer-boy followed his friend down the hall.

~*~

   "Son, I wish you would consent to this marriage." The old king's face was worn with fatigue.

   Yami's expression was one of blank politeness, a perfect poker face trained from childhood but for the miniscule lines of sadness around his crimson eyes. "If I did not consent, Father, I would not have said I did. If I did not consent, _my King_, I would not be standing here right now, waiting as last-minute tailors fit me for my wedding garments."

   The king sighed. "Why are you so cold with me, my son?"

   "Cold, Father?" A delicate eyebrow rose, arched to the perfect degree of polite inquiry. "I cannot discern what you could possibly mean."

   "Don't play games with me, Son."

   "Ah, but I live for games." The prince's eyes widened momentarily, emphasizing his next seemingly innocent comment. "A _certain_ game in particular."

   "That is enough."

   "What is? The talk of games? But I had merely returned what you had started."

   The king shook his head. "You spar with words."

   "Very perceptive, Father." The prince's tone was haughty, mocking. In his cool temperament, his anger shone through. "I am pleased that such perception has not diminished in old age."

   "Do not be discourteous!"

   "Ah yes, the first lesson I learned." A barely-confined sneer played upon Yami's lips. "I was to respect my Father and King at all times. Shall I, then, Father, say that you are young and fit, in the height of your power? Shall we spar with swords instead of words, as we have done years ago? I remember that you had won the last match. Do you yet have your old touch?"

   Feeling a flush of anger rising to his face, the aged king glared at his son, who merely stared back with disconcern. Able to take no more, though knowing that he had lost, he stormed out, leaving behind one order. "Report to the chapel _immediately_ after you are dressed."

   "...Yes, Father."

   The door slammed, leaving the prince alone with the half-dozen servants fussing over his clothes. A moment later, Dark emerged from a shadowed corner of the room. He stood by calmly as the prince cooled down, the anger and excitement flowing out of his system. It was over. (A/N: Waaai, that was fun. But really hard. . Ari doesn't play with subtle words. Ari says, "I don't like you. Go away." ^_^;;)

   "You should not have done that, my Prince." The magician's voice was low in warning.

   The prince sighed. "I know, Dark. I don't need you to chastise me."

   "Until you are King, he still holds the power." The taller man was serious, cold azure eyes hard and steely. "It would be unwise to cross him. You may think him to be old and frail now, but it is in such age that people feel the need to prove the strength that they know they do not have. You are putting yourself in grave danger. Not of your physical self, of course. You are his heir. But..."

   "Let him do his worst. I do not fear him."

   "It is not you that he would target," the mage murmured.

   "What?" The prince spun around sharply, startling the servants fixing pins keeping the fabric in place on his body.

   "He knows you are stronger than him," Dark continued. "You have proven that today in the previous bout. He knows you have the loyalty of your friends, the love of the townspeople, and the service of the magicians. He knows that he is now no match against you."

   Yami shrugged, turning back so the agitated servants could get on with their work. "As I said. I do not fear him."

   "But Yugi would not stand a chance, if he had wish to attack."

   "Yugi would not..." Realization hit, and the prince closed his eyes, shuddering despite the warmth in the room. He took several deep breaths, calming his anger. Anger at his father for starting this mini cold war, anger at himself for not seeing earlier his own weak spot, and putting Yugi in the path of danger. His next words came as a whisper. "What do I do?"

   "Tread lightly, my prince. Your prey has lured you onto thin ice."

   "But I..." Yami bowed his head. "I can't win, can I?"

   The magician shook his head. "I am sorry, my prince. Not this time. You have won an unexpected battle against your father, but not the proverbial war. Now that you have shown him your weakest spot…"

   "Love is not a weakness."

   "Oh?" Dark considered this. "No, I suppose it is not. But how will you use it as a strength?"

   "I…" The prince hesitated. "I don't know. Why can't you tell me? Why can't you say things in terms I can understand?"

   "If you could understand us… you would _be_ one of us."

~*~

   To love was to know great joy... and great pain. Through his soft, weak laughter, it was obvious that Yugi was crying. No matter what Jounouchi and Yami's other friends tried to do to help, nothing worked. Though they did not know the extent of the little mer-boy's despair, they loved, and knew the price one paid for such emotion. Each knew what agony was extracted to be separated from his one chosen lover. None wished such upon the gentle, sweet boy who had almost instantly won their hearts.

   "Awww, c'mon, Yug..." Jounouchi put his arms around the younger boy awkwardly. "It'll be all right. Yami'll be back for you. He loves you, Yug, and nothing can change that."

   The boy nodded mutely, numbly. Yami would be back. By the time Yami was back, he would be gone... forever... He wanted to clear his mind of such thoughts, but could not. It had been sounded so simple. Become a human, make a human fall in love with him in three days, exchange vows of marriage, and he could stay there forever.

   _Fate_, Yugi thought. _I wonder if this "fate" is laughing at me._

   It should not have gone wrong, but it had. Everyone in the ocean world had loved him, so why was it so hard to get the prince to?

   _But it wasn't..._ He realized. _He _did_ love me. He just could not admit it._

   Everyone in his world had admitted it, had displayed it almost blatantly. Why would the prince not? Why were their two worlds so different? Why was this difference not taken into account...?

   _Marriage._ Yugi snorted in his mind. _Who, in my kingdom, would not have jumped at the chance to marry me?_

   But this was not his kingdom. This was somewhere strange, somewhere so completely different. Despite all the similarities he had seen between their people when he viewed them from beneath the choppy waves, despite all the language and emotions they all shared, their cultures were too different... and he had just begun to realize.

   It was too late.

   Click.

   Yugi did not realize, until he heard the tinkling sound of metals clicking into place, that he was attempting to put together the puzzle given to him by his prince. Left alone, he naturally turned to his most basic element -- that of playing games. Even deep in thought, his nimble fingers moved, almost as if of their own accord, to put together the mysterious golden puzzle.

   Jou, sandy hair falling in wisps into his eyes, peered over the younger boy's shoulders. "What's that?"

   The mer-boy looked up, cradling the box of broken red-gold pieces in his tiny hands. 'Puzzle...'

   The taller youth considered this for a moment, brows frowning in thought. "It's... Yami's puzzle, isn't it? It's what he went to get yesterday morning..."

   Yugi nodded, surprised that he would know.

   "But... you don't need to hurry like that, you know?" The human youth tilted his head, for a moment appearing like the puppy that his lover called him. "You... you're working on it so intently, that I'd think the world was ending or something."

   Violet eyes looked down momentarily, veiled by dark lashes.

   "Or maybe..." Jou murmured, voice soft. "Maybe the world truly _is_ ending..."

   'It is... Oh, it is.'

~*~

   Weddings were noted as happy occasions, but this one was anything but. Good cheer seemed to have just... vanished... from the castle, and even the lowliest servant felt the gloom that permeated the corridors, the gloom that lay like a thin film of tainted varnish over everyone's minds.

   The king, in his anger and spite, could not smile over his triumph. Somehow, something told him that such a victory over his son was wrong, that catastrophic consequences were to arise from it. But he was too proud to admit, too proud to repent. In the knowledge that he was less of a king than his young son, he sought to deny any such thing. In his own head, he kept telling himself that he was great, that he was the ideal ruler, that his son was just being an uproarious child. In his own head, he murmured for countless hours that he was doing what was good, what was right, and that the adolescent Yami was to be taught a lesson in authority. In his own head, he goaded over his victory... but he could convince no one, least of all himself.

   Anzu, ready in an elegant gown of pearly laces, sat stiffly facing the king, her wide blue eyes showing evident worry. She wondered if perhaps she had made a grievous mistake. She could not help feeling that _she_ was the cause of all this pain, all this unhappiness.

   The fact is, the young countess understood that the prince _should_ be marrying his little Yugi. After what she had accidentally witnessed the previous night...

   The brunette blushed.

   The old king looked up, mistaking the girl's blush for excitement, and lifted his lips in a faint smile. "I am glad you approve of this marriage."

   However, Anzu shook her head. "N-no, Your Majesty, that was not why I... I mean... I mean no offense to Your Majesty, but might I suggest that perhaps... this... marriage isn't... proper?"

   "Not proper?" Aged eyebrows raised in surprise, not yet in anger. "Why would you say that, Lady Anzu? I would think that you, more than anyone, would be joyful on this grand occasion."

   The girl hesitated. "I... Your Majesty, I could tell that your son does not love me. I do not wish for him to--"

   "Nonsense." The king cut her off sharply. "Both you and him have agreed to this coupling." His voice softened. "I am sorry that it has to happen to the two of you, children so young. But understand this: political marriages are rarely for love, if ever. It is a high allowance to my son that I should ask his permission first, instead of betrothing him at birth."

   "I..."

   "You _do_ wish to marry him, do you not?" The king looked to Anzu in question. "You say that he bears no love for you... but have you any for him?"

   "Yes." Gentle cerulean eyes closed, hiding the faintest traces of tears. "Yes, I do. All his people do. _Your_ people, Your Majesty, pardon me. He appears to us often, speaks with kindness and wisdom. He is what any woman would hope a man to be -- proud but gentle, intelligent, beautiful... Of course I jumped at the chance to marry such a one, when it was offered. Pardon this pride, Your Majesty, but I knew I could be Queen. I was raised to be a female ruler -- though of a county, not a kingdom -- and have been instructed in full etiquette and management. The people know me well, and they believe, as I do, in my knowledge and compassion..."

   "Then why do you hesitate to marry him?"

   "Because... because he loves another. Loves _deeply_." The countess opened her eyes, making no attempt to hide the tears that glimmered within the azure depth. "I have no right to separate them. Nor have I wish to cause either of them any pain."

   "Oh?" The king was mildly surprised. "He spoke of a love, but did not tell me who it was. Would you speak of she who captured my son's heart?"

   _It is not a "she"._ Anzu chuckled silently, bitterly, at this irony. "A most gentle beauty, Your Majesty. Far surpassing me in every quality. Yet, you know your son does not look for the superficial. Sweet and kind and infinitely polite, his love is. Soft and refreshing to look upon and to know, as a summer drizzle, healing even the deepest wounds of the heart and mind."

   The king listened intently. "And you could tell this from a few minutes of meeting her?"

   "I could tell. It is the nature of that person, as closely as I could tell from having been taught to read hearts. I truly would have liked to have known him longer..."

   "Him?"

   "Him." The girl nodded lightly, chocolate-brown hair spilling over her eyes momentarily, concealing their expression of sorrow.

   "Then you will marry my son and become Queen?" the king queried. "He _cannot_ marry another male."

   "I will." Anzu looked away, staring out the large wall-length window from between the edges of velvet curtains the colour of blood. "That is the only reason. Because... he needs an heir..."

   "That is the price of nobility," the king murmured softly. "That is the price required for this position."

   "Yes." For a moment, the girl's voice was deathly cold, as crystal tears ran un unchecked streams down her cheeks. "For a life of luxury, we sell out our hearts."

~*~

   "Oooooooooh, I bet this piece goes here!" Jou pointed excitedly, nearly bouncing like a child. The group of the prince's friends were crowded around Yugi, trying to help him solve his Sennen Puzzle. It seemed to be well on its way, and the prospect even managed to cheer the mer-boy, however slightly.

   "No way!" His best friend, Honda, elbowed him away. "If you bet any money, you would've lost it now, 'cause it has to go _there_."

   "Eep!" Losing his balance from all the pushing and shoving, Ryou fell over, landing, luckily, in Bakura's lap. His lover, originally brooding and refusing to join the rest of the people, grabbed him around the waist and pulled him close.

   The older albino growled in annoyance, jabbing a finger at the puzzle. "You two are _both_ idiots. It's obvious that it goes _there_."

   "No it doesn't." Sitting up tall and straight on a comfortable couch --and completely defeating the purpose of a couch -- somewhere outside the circle that surrounded Yugi, the high-ranking councilor Seto looked over the heads of his lover and friends. "Amateurs, the lot of you. Mokuba, go show them where that piece _really_ belongs."

   The child's large, sapphire eyes blinked out of a mass of long, raven hair. "Me? But I don't know where it goes."

   Seto sighed, getting up languishly, when Yugi, finally done with studying the wheat-gold piece in his hand, slid it into a position previously thought impossible. Stopping in his tracks for a moment, the tall teen blinked. He never would have expected it to go _there_...

   Jou grinned, not at all upset that his guess was wrong. "Good job, Yug! You're almost done!"

   The younger boy nodded, slim brows furrowed in concentration, large eyes serious. Almost done. Ah, what wonderful news that was. Soon, he could talk to his beloved prince… though he supposed it would not exactly be "talking". At least, before he passed into nothingness, he could fill one of his prince's requests.

   Everyone watched, awaiting the result eagerly, awaiting the time when they could see the sweet boy's face light up, receiving what he so deserved.

   When it was finally complete, the mer-boy's nimble fingers sliding the last piece into place, the friends, cheering inside, knew it was time for him to be alone. His love was not to be shared with them. His sweet, secret heart was to be his own.

   Emotions, pure and simple and strong, burst through a link in his mind. Unfiltered, untainted, undisguised...

   Yugi reeled from the shock.

   Calming down his own self, he tried to sort out the sudden bundle of new emotions alien to himself, realizing by the blood-red tint that they belonged to his beloved prince. Confusion, sorrow, disappointment... He bit his lips. More than anything, he felt... Despair.

   The mer-boy realized now that the prince had no knowledge of his presence, no knowledge of the completion of the mystical chain that tied them together. He was pouring out his heart.

   Not really knowing what he was doing, the violet-eyed youth sent out a soothing wave of gentle blue, finding the communication of colours the easiest to achieve. Pale colours, comforting colours... Blues and greens and violets in pastel tones. He completed his message with a fiery burst of red. Love...

   Within the bond, the young teen felt surprise, followed quickly by realization. The prince now knew they were together.

   Images flooded his mind. A white wedding dress of elegant gauze, a single clear drop of agonizing tear, a clock ticking... ticking towards doom.

   He understood. There was no more time. The wedding, the happy occasion made unbearably sad, was coming too soon, was coming _now_.

   He nodded mentally, unsure of what to say. There were no spoken words, only ideas and imagery. It was difficult to communicate, perhaps even more so than what they had before. A wide-eyed gaze, a tug of the sleeve... those were simple to read. But this... this was much deeper, peering into heart and soul and every deep crevice of the mind.

   Yugi did not mind. Now, they were closer than anyone could ever be. Now, they held between them an intimacy that even normal lovers did not own. Now, they had a bond that nothing could break.

   _Nothing but death..._

   Nothing but death.

   However, that was later. The boy knew that the wedding, the dreaded ceremony, was starting in mere moments. His face filled with the distress he felt, he ran to his beloved prince's friends, feeling in his heart that they would know what to do.

~*~

   The wedding had already commenced as Yami's friends, flustered and exhausted, ran in, dragging with them the little mer-boy. Seto, out of breath and decidedly peeved, sent a glare so intense to the guard standing before the door that it could have killed. Immediately, they were let in by servants stammering in apology at having failed to inform them of the wedding's commencement.

   "How coincidental," Bakura spat softly as they passed.

   Jou nodded in annoyance. "They just 'happened' to forget to mention to the prince's best friends that his wedding's starting, eh?"

   The mer-boy, appearing so young and vulnerable, looked down, following the taller teen aimlessly, concern shining out of his large amethyst eyes. He could _feel_ the prince's anxiety rolling over him, mingling with his own so well that there was hardly any difference between them. He wondered, for an idle second, why he was not crying. But deep down, he knew that he was already beyond tears. There was only so much that one could show with droplets of moisture falling from one's eyes, and this did not belong.

   _And besides..._ he reminded himself. _Mermaids don't cry..._

   He tried to absently count the seconds, to count how long he could keep that determination.

   When the friends were seated within the Great Hall of the castle, the bride and groom had not yet arrived. Yami was near, the mer-boy could feel. He was probably in the very next room, connected by a cleverly-hidden door that was clear from the younger boy's vantage point. He was calming down, too, through the link -- or at least making a pretense of it. For that, Yugi was both grateful and indescribably sad. An image floated into his mind of a tall man, dark-robed with plum-coloured hair and icy blue eyes. The boy nodded again mentally. So, Dark was helping the prince with his practiced mask of absolute confidence. For a moment, the boy could not decide what to think about the magician. He was everywhere, he knew everything... Just who was he truly working for?

   Some of the mer-boy's inquiry had apparently passed through the mental link, for the prince sent him reassurance in the form and imagery of soft cottony clouds, of gentle kisses rained upon delicate eyelids. Dark was their friend. Dark could be trusted.

   Confirming that his prince was not going to come out for a little while yet, Yugi lost interest in the ceremony and the droning voice of the old priest, preferring instead to study the hall that they were in, so beautifully decorated that it was. (A/N: ...Hah. Ari just wanted to describe the place, and didn't know how weddings went anyway.) As was expected, everything was covered in the traditional white and gold, whether it was imprinted wallpaper or velvet cushions. Rich brown wood broke this unspoken colour code, in beams that supported the tall, arched ceiling, in tables covered by tissue-thin cloth of snow, in chairs adorned with pearly satin embroidered with threads of sun-kissed gold. No expenses had been spared, that though the orders had come at the very last moment possible, everything was still readied as if preparations had been made many months ago. And perhaps they were. Such elegance graced this room, though, in Yugi's opinion, certain parts of the hall was indeed over-decorated, cluttered with white lace, with gold trimmings, with hanging streamers and ribbons and bows that made nothing so much as a mess of lily-white wealth. In simple corners of the room were vases -- white with gold etchings, unsurprisingly -- holding flowers of soft pastel colours. These pleasant additions spread fragrances and colour into the room, in their hues of blue and violet, pink and yellow, their leaves of varying shades of emerald.

   Jerking out of his revelry as a gentle hand shook his shoulders, the mer-boy realized that it was now time for his beloved Yami to appear. Keeping a cool façade upon his face out of brave determination, the young teen stared ahead towards the door through which he could sense the prince.

   Biting his lips, he banished tears that threatened to swell with a sharp admonition. _Mermaids don't cry._

   It did not matter how many times he had broken that rule in the past two days; he would not let tears fall during this event.

   If there was ever a man who could be described as "beautiful", Prince Yami was it. Even trying to appear as plain as possible, he cut a stunning figure, winning hearts that he did not want. Now, decked in the finest the kingdom had to offer, he seemed to have walked out of a dream. Gasps sounded across the room at his entry, and Yugi was bitterly amused to notice a few women faint.

   Completely ignoring protocols, Yami was covered in silks the crimson of blood and the onyx of the darkest, moonless night. The colours suited him, suited his personality and mood, his very essence. He was striking, clad in a tunic of simple cut of obsidian, closely hugging his body. Tantalizing bits of tanned, glistening skin showed through the open collar and his unadorned shoulders. Halfway up his upper arm was the start of a pair of flame red gloves, long and elegant, almost as those that women wore. Stiff, slim pants shimmering above soft boots of ruby leather accentuated his long legs, giving him an illusion of height until compared to the people standing next to him.

   The mer-boy gave out a soft purr of appreciation in his mind. He knew, he understood, that the prince dressed for him. The vow spoken may be for Anzu, but the vow repeated deep in his heart was for him.

   Such knowledge did nothing to lengthen his life.

   It was not much longer that the bride arrived, walking slowly upon a flower-strewn carpet of lily-white velvet. Gauzes, veils, ribbons... Much adorned her, twining around her body and braided through her hair. White, gold, pale cerulean... The exquisite garments turned her simple form into a powerful princess, ruling over all that was pure.

   The young teen could not bear to watch as they exchanged vows and rings, and they were bound with the promise that should rightly have belonged to him.

   As the new couple, husband and wife, walked off together, both stiff in knowledge that this was not meant to be, the violet-eyed boy broke, again, his resolve and let the tears flow. When words no longer existed, they were all he had to show his pain.

   "Just today," Jou whispered to try to comfort his new friend. "They just need to be together today, to make a show of it for the populace. From tomorrow on, he will belong to you again. We'll make sure of it."

   A shape, gliding up to them as smoothly as a shadow, placed a hand on his shoulder. "But it's not as simple as that." Steely blue eyes fixed upon the mer-boy. "Is it...?"

   The golden-haired youth jumped, startled. "D-dark! Don't do that. Where did you come from?"

   The magician shrugged lightly. "I was within the prince's dressing chamber." (A/N: ...That can be taken in a very wrong way. ^_^''')

   "And what's the complication, Mage?" Surprisingly, it was the auburn-haired councilor who spoke, cobalt eyes serious. "I know almost as well as Yami what royalty suffers, and what may be done. For once, the Pup's right. It is quite simple. Our 'dear prince' needs to spend a day with his new queen for show, then he could take any lover he wants."

   Yugi shook his head, as the dark-robed man lowered his voice to speak in a gentler tone. "There may not be a tomorrow."

   Confusion was evident on their faces. They did not know of magic. They did not understand.

   _There may not be a tomorrow..._ The mer-boy's eyes shut, squeezing out clear drops of tears. _There will not be a tomorrow... Not for me. Not ever again._

   And somewhere, back in the depth of his mind, there was a part that was numb, that no longer cared, knowing that whatever amounts of worry would not change the set path. It had been decided from the moment he first caught the prince's fiery eyes, bound doubly from the moment he asked for the spell that would give him these short moments with his beloved.

   After all, it was either an early death... or a lifetime of pain.

~*~

   The sunset was a splash of flames across the western sky, a composition more perfect than any artist could hope to achieve. So many had tried; so many had spent their lives trying to capture this single moment that bloomed in fiery brilliance before the cold darkness of night.

   A Phoenix, burning to ashes so it could be born anew.

   A fulfilling day, flaring its last bravely to wait for its rebirth.

   A mermaid child, sitting on the ledge of a balcony of worked stone, the same place he had sat that morning, cried... for he would never return. With the rising of the new sun, with the coming of new day that brought hope to men, he would breathe his last.

   Each tear fell with the utmost reverence, the utmost perfection, as if knowing who it was that wept, who it was that brought them into existence. Child of the Sea! Treasure of the Deep! He should now cry. He _could_ not have cried, had he not met with the human who sealed his fate, his doom. Most beloved of the Mermaids, child of the King... the most beautiful legend in all the seas. He could have had any of them, but for that one glance, that one stray gaze.

   The sun bathed him in its glow, and for that short second where its light was fully upon him, Yugi felt as if he was swimming... swimming in the light of the sun. All the events of the past days, the futility of his actions, came crashing down upon him.

   He missed his home. He wanted the sea again. He wanted to be held within its sapphire depth, closer and more loving than the far-away sky of the same tint, warmer and more caring than the bitter breezes that teased his hair and bit into his soft skin mercilessly.

   _What wouldn't I give, to take it all back?_ Yugi mused, idle thoughts slowly covering his tears. _What wouldn't I give, to be back in my home, to be surrounded by the people who love me..._

   But they loved him here too. Yami's friends loved him. Yami's guardian loved him. _Yami_ loved him.

   _But love wasn't enough, was it?_ a voice muttered bitterly. _Love wasn't enough to keep you together. Love wasn't enough to save your life._

   Amethyst eyes narrowed to a slit, taking in, through a liquid haze of unshed tears, the scarlet orb of the sun, red like his lover's eyes, as it sunk beneath the horizon, as it scattered bursts of crimson and gold and magenta across the ever-changing surface of the ocean, as it painted bold strokes of fuchsia across a sky once clear azure, now curling into violet darkness at the edges of his vision.

   Violet and red. Amid his hazy vision, they converged to the petals of the Amaranth, the blood-drop petals of the Ever-flower that bloomed in carefree beauty in the prince's gardens.

   A last lingering glance of the sun caressed his cheeks with its soft warmth, knowing that it may never again meet this precious child.

   _I will live for you, bright sun,_ the mer-boy assured it, almost fearing that it would stay in the sky forever in fear of losing him. _I will live long enough for you to come and greet me. I promise that._

   As the glowing disk nodded agreeably and left to its sleep, the boy felt a tinge of regret, of pain. If he had asked the sun to stay for him, would it have...? If the sun had, indeed, stayed for him, would he be able to live forever in that twilight limbo?

   _Your people may stay for you, but the sun does not,_ he reminded himself. _And if it did, what then? Would you live at the risk of throwing the _world_ helter-skelter? Would you live in an eternal day without your prince?_

   The question did not need an answer. It was simple to see.

   With the setting of the sun, night was rapidly spreading its cloak, dark and shimmering as his prince's attire, over the unsuspecting world. Sitting still as a statue, a spot of white, Yugi could almost feel its protective embrace around him. He wondered if he would stay here, unmoving, from this spot for the duration of the night. He wondered if night's deep love would hold him until dawn, until his death. It would certainly wish to. How beautiful he was, his milky skin unblemished, his flushed cheeks marked in the lightest way by tracks of tears that he did not bother to wipe away. A snowy robe, trimmed in soft lilac lighter than his eyes, twirled around him, a flurry of fluttering sleeves and hems and ribbons. Slim hand rested upon white marble as bare feet, just barely adorned with hair-thin anklets, dangled over the edge of the high ledge overlooking the ocean.

   _Going back to the ocean... In death, I return to my people..._

   Yugi's face was indescribably sad, touching the hearts of even the coldest of humans and mermaids alike. Large eyes, expressive in their glimmer of purest amethyst, were concealed within a pool of agony, as a small mouth of petal-soft lips opened just a bit in a silent cry. Bangs of golden threads fell into the child-like eyes of complete innocence, as black hair, tinged by flaring magenta, stuck out in a wild crown.

   Tears... liquid crystals, trailing down tender cheeks, wiped away by the wind...

   The small head turned, hearing a nearby sound. After sitting still for the countless hours of afternoon and early evening, going without meal, ignoring even the most well-meaning of the prince's friends, the mer-boy finally moved.

   It was a simple shutting of a door, coming from the room next to his.

   Yami's new room, having given the old, familiar room to Yugi.

   The prince was retiring for the night, along with the Countess -- now Princess -- Anzu.

   The young teen grimaced, looking past the open glass doors to the balcony to his own bed in his own room, so forlorn in its splendor of gold-embroidered violet velvet. He would not sleep in it tonight. He would not sleep in it... ever again.

   "Tonight, Anzu." Yugi could hear his prince's voice drifting to him. "Only tonight. Never again."

   "I understand," came the soft reply. "Your heart could never -- _should_ never -- be changed, my Prince. And... I believe that you have made a good choice."

   "He is the best."

   "You love him most."

   _And for all your love, for all your acceptance..._ The boy bit his lips. _For all your words, I will not live another day._

   Slowly, Yugi's hands strayed to the golden pyramid hanging around his neck, brushing across its smooth surface almost lovingly. He sent reassurance, love, receiving the same in return. His prince wore it still.

   _Good night, my love... Good night..._

   Silence reigned, stillness spread. The mer-boy was content, now, to merely wait for morning's light, to wait for the last embrace of the sun that would take his life forever. He held deep within him the last intimate moment with his prince, in the sanctuary of their mind.

   His eyes strayed to the ocean. Such darkness was borne upon the waves, as they reached to the moon, to the pale orb, still mostly round, that hung in the sky in its white splendor. The moon that foretold his death...

   Something cut through the obsidian mirror of the sea. Silver-white... Emerald-green... The faint moonlight glinted off of strands of silk, off of pebble-like scales, only to have everything disappear to reappear a distance away.

   A cold hand clutched Yugi's heart. He knew such movements, had made them when he lived in the sea. Had someone found him?

   A silver head broke the waves beneath him. Eyes of spring grass stared up in concern, squinting in the darkness. They had no trouble finding him, the child of luminescent white marble.

   "Yugi..."

   Voice of tinkling bells, sweeter than any human's greeted his ears. He alone could surpass her beauty. The mer-boy nodded, a slight inclination of his head.

   "Yugi, please come back to us."

   The boy, in the presence of his eldest sister and the hope she brought, transformed back into a child. _Back...? Back to the sea? Back to my life?_

   The mermaid lifted her arms, soft and slender, paler than moonlight. The long, slim fingers of her right hand clutched something that sparkled.

   "Yugi…" The princess's voice was pleading, sad. "Yugi, I know the ways of this spell. I have been through it. I have… had the same result – my lover marrying another. I would have died, as you would now. But… there is a way out."

   Yugi leaned forward, though carefully keeping his balance on the ledge. A way out? A way back to his beloved sea, to the people who valued him more than any treasure? His sea… _His_ sea… His initial fascination with humans gone, his passion for the prince banked by Yami's marriage, the teen almost wanted to return to his home, to the land of safety.

   The mermaid extended her right arm, holding high the object within her graceful hand, as if she could reach up to her brother. "Take this, Yugi. Take this, and use it. You will live… You will _live_!"

   A toss, almost idle but undeniably precise, carried the object up in a smooth arc, letting it sail over the snowy ledge of the high balcony. No tears fell from her verdant eyes, though they were filled with pain. She had suffered the same fate to which she was now leading her younger brother. But… she could not bear to lose him. None of them could. And, lying to herself, she believed that he would adjust, that he would put this love in the past… as she told herself she had done.

   _My love, why did you betray me…?_ The ocean-princess could not help her own thoughts. _My love, why did you force my hand? If only… If only you did not leave me for _her_, this curse would have been broken. My brother would have been happy._

   An eternal curse…

   The youth slid down from his resting-place, carefully turning and hopping down to the cold floor of the balcony, wincing as pain shot through him once again at the contact of his feet. _Every step…_ He walked over to the thrown object gingerly, reminding himself that he had already lived with this pain for the most part of three days, that he no longer noticed it. His full attention was now focused onto the strange, glittering relic that his dearest sister had given him.

   A knife.

   For a second, Yugi wondered if he was to return by taking his own life. But… that did not make any sense, did it?

   "Beautiful, isn't it?"

   The boy nodded, picking up the shimmering knife. It was quite small, its etched blue-silver blade no longer than his small palm. The blade was covered with strange runes that seemed to glow in the light of the still-round moon, while the handle, a highly contrasting ebony, was inlaid with many glittering jewels set in patterns to dazzle the eyes.

   "Use it on him."

   It took a while for the full impact of the message to sink in. Use it on him. Kill him. _Kill_ his beloved prince.

   The mer-boy shook his head frantically. Not his prince! Not his sweet, sweet Yami!

   "You _must_, Yugi!" A desperate light shone in the princess's eyes. "It's the only way. Please, my beloved brother. Our lives would be forever changed without you, and not for the better. Please… Spill his blood. When the last drop of his blood has flowed from him onto your legs, they will become your glorious, beautiful tail again."

   Yugi looked away. He knew what an impact his death would make on his people. He knew his value to them.

   "Please, dear brother, sweet brother," the mermaid beseeched. "We need you. He has a life now, with someone else. He chose her over you. Even if you were to live, even if he were to keep you by his side, he would have less and less time for you. Was that what you want? And like this… Like this, you would _die_! You would die, and leave your prince to that girl. You would die, and bereft us of our most precious treasure. How _could_ you, Brother? _How could you_? Do you love these _humans_ more than you love us, your own people?!"

   The amethyst-eyed youth was torn. He wanted to be with his people, but he wanted to be with his prince even more. But she was right. He could not. He would die, if he did not do something. He would take away the one his people loved most. His people… his people…

   Guilt flooded the boy's gentle features. Away from the lit room, from her brother's view, the mermaid princess looked ashamed. To make her brother hurt so, to attack him in his weakness, in his need to keep others happy… It broke her heart. But they could not survive without him. In this one intense moment where many passions collided, she truly believed that.

   _Please…_ With his older sister's plea ringing through his mind, the boy stood in conviction. His people… He should consider his own people's needs.

   With unnatural grace, Yugi crossed the threshold of the two rooms, easily climbing from balcony to balcony. The prince had arranged them to be together, had arranged easy access to the other's room so that he could slip in during the night. Now, it would prove to be his undoing.

   Gentle fuchsia eyes terrifyingly cold and filled with opalescent tears, the mer-boy padded into his lover's room, seeing much better in the dark than humans could. After all, his warm and inviting ocean was filled with darkness, in the many places that light could not reach. He could see… And what he saw tore at his heart.

   _Oh, sweet prince… Oh, my love… _Yugi bit down on his full lower lip, willing himself not to cry. He would be strong for his people. He would be… would be…

   With his eyes closed lightly, silken lids hiding the brilliant ruby orbs within, the prince was in the most tranquil of sleep. Resting gently on his side, head lolled on a soft velvet pillow, he was beautiful… beautiful… It was no wonder that the mer-boy loved him. But all that, the younger boy had seen in the previous night. All that would remain in the boy's memory forever.

   No, his beauty was not what shattered the crystal-pure heart. It was… his complete loyalty.

   Though they slept in the same bed, as the rules dictated, the prince kept his promise to love only his chosen one and stayed far away from his new bride. He had found the largest, grandest bed his immense wealth could buy, decking it with multitudes of blankets and pillows. There, he and Anzu lay on opposite sides, backs turned to each other. In Yami's hands was clutched… a doll. A tiny silk-and-velvet replicate of the mer-boy.

   Yugi froze. What choice did he have? His heart thumped loudly in his chest, his blood throbbing in his veins. The pressure built up so much in his head, that he thought he would wake his prince. That would not do; oh no, not at all. Though he would have to kill his love, the boy did not want him to suffer betrayal. That was the worst that anyone could feel. And he knew, as he swallowed his tears, that he had no voice to explain… and no valid explanation even if he were able to speak.

   _I'm sorry, my prince._ The boy's violet eyes shut in a last desperate attempt to keep his tears from flowing, for if he let them go, they would never stop. _I'm sorry, my love. It seems, in the end, it appears that I am selfish after all. My people… I go back to my people, to my land. I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I love them too. I need them, as they need me… as you no longer do…_

   But that was not true. He knew. He could see. And yet… Even if he did nothing, Yami would still lose him. It was inevitable that they would be separated. One of them had to die.

   _You promised him!_ Yugi could not get his own voice out of his head, so furious, so accusatory. _You promised him love. You promised him eternity. Without words, you did. And now, you go back on your words?_

_   My people._

_   My lover._

_   You promised,_ the voice continued, _when you agreed to the spell, that you would fully be willing to give up your life. You promised that you would not regret this choice, that one life, your own, no less, was a small price to pay for even a few seconds with him._

   Exaggerations… So many exaggerations we could make until we were face-to-face with reality… So many promises we could make until we had to pay the price we vowed…

   Despite all his efforts, the mer-boy felt tears squeeze out of his eyes, hot trails of liquid sorrow.

   His people, or his lover? Which was more important?

   His love… or his life? Which was more important?

   _I'm sorry…_ The train of apologies started again in the boy's mind, as he blamed himself for all that happened, as he realized that _someone_ dear to him would be hurt, no matter his choice. _I'm sorry, I'm not up to facing this pain… I can't, I can't…_

   He realized only now to whom his last apology was directed.

   As the veil of night receded, as the sun pressed to see the ocean's treasure one last time, Yugi turned his back to his sleeping prince, the blade of the bespelled knife glimmering faintly with crimson sheen. Over the balcony ledge and into the sea it went, where, the boy was sure, the mermaid princess collected it. When he turned to the balcony, she stared up, pale green eyes widened in question, thin tendrils of scarlet trailing away from the icy blade in her hands in mesmerizing patterns.

   For an answer without words, the most decisive answer that he had given in all his life, the mer-boy held out his left arm, the soft palm of his slender hand facing downwards. From a cut along the bottom of his wrist dripped blood.

   Drip…

   Drip…

   Drip…

   Each drop made a ripple, a small piece of perfection. Garnet-red of the prince's eyes… Garnet-red of the Ever-flowers…

   Leaving a path of tiny red splatters, Yugi scrambled over the balconies back to his ledge, where he sat in his original position, refusing to move, refusing to acknowledge his stricken sister.

   Finally, she bowed her head in understanding. "So you have done what none of the rest of us could. So you have found something precious…"

   With the slightest of nods, he sent her off.

   In that position, he waited. He did not know what he waited for; whether it was the rising sun, or some sort of a sign… or even his own death, that he could be freed of this pain. But he waited. What else was there to do?

   And indeed, the sun did rise, banishing the night, claiming the beautiful boy for itself. And, feeling as a vampire of legend, Yugi felt it as a burning fire, purifying his soul, his blood, and finally his body, turning his life into nothingness.

   But he would not turn to ashes. He would become foam, and return to his precious ocean in that manner. He would return to his people… though his life would not.

   In one idle moment, the mer-boy wondered if "his" foam would be beautiful.

   Tilting his gaze downwards, the youth noticed something most strange. His legs, long and slender as they trailed over the marble ledge, were becoming ever heavier, ever more difficult to hold up. It was also, slowly but surely, turning a dark shade of shimmering plum. He knew what was happening as he noticed the soft flesh melting together, turning, instead, into tiny pebble-like scales, linked together almost like chain-mail.

   A tail.

   _His_ tail.

   Yugi felt a tinge of relief, of happiness. He would be back to his true form. He would die as himself. He did not know why, but that gave him a sense of… rightness. As his scales, the colour of the depth of the ocean in its iridescence, burst into light from the flame of the sun, he turned his face up, his eyes closed, his open expression embracing his fate far stronger than arms could have.

   _Yami…_ Without knowing, he called out within his mind, within the golden puzzle that lay around his neck.

   "Yami…" Without knowing, he called out, with a voice that had not existed for days…

   A soft voice it was, pure innocence laced with insuppressible sadness, carrying upon the wind in all its beauty, melting into the sweetest of dreams, chasing away the fiercest of nightmares.

   Thus it woke the prince. Thus ruby eyes opened to a song of sorrow.

            _On my own, pretending he's beside me,  
            All alone, I walk with him till morning.  
            Without him, I feel his arms around me,  
            And when I lose my way I close my eyes and he has found me._

            I love him, but every day I'm learning,  
            All my life, I've only been pretending.  
            Without me, his world will go on turning.  
            The world is full of happiness that I have never know…

   "No…" a voice, deep and husky, though appearing harsh beside the mer-boy's sweetness, interrupted. "No, that's not true. Without you, my world will _not_ go on turning. Without you, my world will end."

   "Wh-what?" Startled out of his revelry, realizing for the first time that his voice came back, Yugi was extremely flustered to find that, adding to those surprises, his beloved prince was standing behind him, arms wrapped gently around his waist, pulling him back against a firm chest.

   "You _are_ the mermaid who saved me, aren't you?" Yami whispered beside his little lover's ear, hands reaching to caress him, gently rubbing his skin under his shirt, curiously gliding over scales on his shimmering tail. "Mer-boy. Beauty from the sea to whom I owe my life."

   "You owe me nothing," the younger boy murmured softly, leaning back and letting his hair tickle his prince's neck and chin. "You have given me everything."

   "No…"

   "Yes, you have." Yugi was adamant about this.

   "No. I have not." The prince looked away. "If I had… then you would not have been sad. You would not be in such pain."

   "I… I wasn't…" The younger boy's voice trembled.

   "Don't lie…" The youth reached down, tilting his beauty's face up towards him, leaning down to kiss away tears that shone within his violet eyes. "You were, and it was my fault."

   "No… Not your fault… Never your fault…"

   "Then why cry?"

   "I… I'm not crying…" Another tear slid down his cheeks.

   "Oh, indeed." Yami sighed, brushing away the drop of liquid silver. "You cannot lie, my love."

   "I am dying…"

   The words were whispered so softly that, for a moment, the prince was not sure if he had heard correctly. When his mind processed this information, he tensed, his grip tightening around his love. "Dying…?"

   "I love you, Yami."

   "I know."

   "I don't want to leave…"

   The prince's embrace held him securely. "I won't let you leave."

   Flickers of foam, pearly and shimmering, fluttered to the ocean below, to their rightful place. The mer-boy's tail was disappearing. Dissolving.

   "Good-bye, Yami. Good-bye, my beloved prince…" Violet eyes were at peace.

   "No!"

   The prince's calls were futile.

   Slowly, the mer-boy faded, dissipating into droplets of lily-white foam, as his lover tried desperately to hold him. They spilled over the ledge, the watery particles that were once his body. So slowly, it happened, with an agonizing teasing quality… but it was too fast for the two lovers.

   "We had so much…"

   "We had love…"

   And now, there was nothing. Now…

   As Yugi's torso was gone in a glimmer of snowy glitter, the golden pyramid around his neck fell. Down it went, along the path of the foam, crashing upon sharp rocks beneath. As it broke, the prince felt a part of his heart go with it.

   "Wait for me, my love, my beauty…" That was the only thing Yami could whisper through his choking grief.

   "I will. I'll wait forever for you."

   _I will come to you…_

_   I will wait for you…_

   Goodbye… 

~*~

  And all the water in the ocean was not enough for the prince's tears. 


	5. Waiting's Reward

A/N: Lookies, I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying! Yup, this is the LAST CHAPTER! The very last! There's no more of this story after this!

...Yes, I think everyone got the point.

Actually, there might be something more. You'll just have to wait and see. (BTW, for those of you who have read "Learning to Love", which I posted looooooooooooooong ago... I have compiled a nice, super-edited full version of it. If you waaaaaaaant it, you'll have to go to my fanficcy contest site.)

:grins: Oh yes, and I'm very proud of myself for making so many of you cry. (Nope, I didn't cry when I was writing it, though.) Oh, and I will be finishing up "What is Gentleness" after this, so please watch for it.

Disclaimer: You know, I was hoping I'd own it by now, but I guess not. I do, however, very much want to buy the rights to Yu-Gi-Oh so I can do the sequel. If anyone wants to donate money for that cause or help me do business contacts and stuff, that would be greatly appreciated. :winks: Yes, I AM half-serious. If I can get the rights, I WILL draw the sequel. (Yes, I can draw. Kinda?)

Warning: Yaoi, YxY! Although if you don't know by now, there MUST be something wrong.

* * *

Epilogue _Waiting's__ Reward_

_The most beautiful, they were; the bards lifting their voices to rival nightingales, the dancers leaping and drifting as snow-white feathers upon the storm's breeze. The beauties, the sweets, they were driven to the sea, to their destruction. By jealousy they were destroyed, and their beauty no more in this world rest._

The prince looked up, his garnet-red eyes dark and solemn, their sorrow too grave for one so young, just barely into adulthood. His hands, tanned and long-fingered, absently smoothed the pages of a worn, leather-bound book, its yellowed pages still in good condition and covered with words and drawings of a beautiful, ancient script.

It was not complete. It told only half the story; the other half belonged to _them_.

_Their destruction was not complete, and a curse they threw upon he who wronged them. Never shall he rest, as his heirs forever live in torment. A curse strong, it binds him and his, that shall be removed only through the forgiveness of the pure._

He understood now, as much as he could from half a book. He knew who they were; he knew that they lived.

The young prince reached out, his slim fingers resting on a delicate stem. An amaranth; his Yugi's amaranth. Its petals drooped as if in sympathy, so much like blood... so much like tears...

_This legacy will die. It _must_ die!_

"Dark..." A murmured summon would bring the magician to his side immediately. "Dark, come here, please?"

The violet-haired man bowed to him respectfully. "My prince."

"This book. You know to whom it must belong."

"I know, my prince."

"You know when it must go to him."

For a moment, the mage was silent. After a long-drawn sigh, he nodded. "...Yes, my prince."

* * *

Eyes of clear emerald skimmed swiftly over a thick volume, protected by strong magic to endure in the water of the ocean. Tendrils of moon-pale hair floated ever which way, as the young mermaid read words that were lost to her before.

This time, of all times, she understood. She could utter only one thing in her grief. "Is he truly gone, then?"

Her brother was the Keeper of this book. Yugi's book now belonged to her.

_And in his grace, he loved and forgave. And in that forgiveness, they were saved, they who wronged his people, they whom he truly cherished. In his death they suffered, and thus the ancients were avenged._

She understood its truth. It was not Yugi who was hurt now, but those he knew and left behind. After all, the dead could not cry.

No, that was a job for the living. That was a job for the Prince and for her, now tied together in their love and loss.

"That love should never have existed…" the Princess of the Sea murmured softly. "Nor ours… Nor hers… Now we know why it is forbidden between the people of the Sea and the people of the Land."

But in the book, something changed.

_Their sacrificed paved the way…_

_Now the curse has lifted. Now the heart can live._

"But not the hearts that have already died…"

The book did not hear. It was, after all, only a record of the happenings…

* * *

More than a year had passed since Yugi's death, and still, the mourners shed their tears. In the birth of a new prince, the sweet heir to the seaside kingdom, there was little joy.

Slowly, the amaranths died, and with them died the tears of their curator, the young king Yami, beloved of the people, beloved of the Treasure of the Sea. Their absence did not diminish his pain, did not lessen his longing. He had provided an heir; his duty was fulfilled. He knew where he belonged.

"Dark…?"

"…Yes, Lady Anzu?"

There were voices at his door. He knew them. Yes, yes he did. His queen, and his mage. Anzu was sensitive; she would know if something was wrong.

This time, it was not to be prevented.

This time, it _could_ not be prevented.

"Dark, what's going on inside? Is something wrong with His Majesty? Is…"

"…" In his mind's eye, the young king could see violet-haired magician bow his head, could hear the restrained forcefulness in his voice. "He has ordered that no one is to see him."

The queen took a few deep breaths. Loud, that Yami could _hear_ them, so upset she was. When she spoke again, her voice was small and tight. "When would I… be able to see him again?"

"…Never."

He did not have to say it. She knew. They all knew.

In the deathly silence, an infant wailed in a room not far from where they stood. The son knew that his father was… never returning.

A moment of pause, then hurried footsteps. The young woman knew that her place was with her child, with the new hope of their kingdom.

Silence, now. There was not another sound above the splashing the waves. There _needed_ not be another sound.

And the ruby-eyed king's room was sealed for all eternity.

* * *

The flap of wings; a lithe body turned, large amethyst eyes fixed upon the approaching stranger. Wings, wings so pure and white as to seem like the pristine, newly-fallen snow. Another angel, he knew. Another messenger, bearing the news. Fatality was approaching…

When the angel came within range, Yugi spoke softly, turning back to his gaze upon the world. "I am not leaving. You can stop asking."

"But young one…" The angel's voice was as gentle and sad as falling teardrops. "This is… your final chance. It has been a year. If you do not come now, the Gates of Heaven must forever be closed to you."

"I can't go," the boy murmured softly, his eyes, for a second, straying to the lily-white robe that covered his legs – his _human _legs. Stretching in a graceful, fluid motion, he unfurled his own wings momentarily, shimmering like the moon itself, knowing that he would soon lose them. "I have to wait for him. I promised him. And I… promised myself."

"But young Yugi…!"

The mer-boy shook his head slowly. "It's all right. I know the promise was for a year. I know that… I would never again be able to go into that paradise, if not now."

"But then, why…?" A look of confusion spread across the angel's visage. "If you come now, your tears will be wiped away, your sadness erased forever. Your sweet, pure soul will shine brighter than any star as you are enfolded into paradise…"

Finally, Yugi turned to him, eyes of sunset sky clear and firm. "Because it is not a paradise without him… Because I… don't want my tears and my sadness to disappear. I don't want these memories to disappear. I just… want to be with him."

"And what if he does not come?" The same arguments, all over again. "What if you finally regret your choice? What then will you do?"

A small, sad smile lifted the corners of those petal-soft lips. "I would regret not waiting more, ever so much more."

"You will never be able to change this decision."

The violet eyes closed in acceptance. "I know."

* * *

Days passed since King Yami's death; days into weeks, weeks into months, and all count was lost and forgotten in the care of those who were still alive.

He preferred that, they knew. That did not stop them from grieving, for both his death and their own inattention.

This day, the last of the amaranths died. The last of the flower that reputedly lived forever.

Young Prince Yugi, thus named for the youth so loved by the late King, stood by, watching them die. He did not know what they were, as his pale lavender eyes followed the petals that drifted on the wind, but he understood their sadness. He saw them fly, the crimson petals dancing, fluttering, borne on the breeze towards the sea. They landed on the water, amidst the pearly foams of the deep.

To him, they were tears of blood, the same tears his father had shed, the _only _tears.

Despite a wave of instinct, warning him of peril, he wanted to follow them. The only one who stopped him was the young, widowed Queen Anzu. He wrenched out of her grasp, ran on unsteady legs to the solitary man standing by the sea. Dark, he knew. His father's friend.

"They are together," the mage murmured. As he looked down, his glacial eyes softened. In the distance, emerald scales flashed in the sunlight, an agreement, an acknowledgement. "Finally, they are together."

A drift of red petals, a clash of white foam. Two figures, entwined in eternity.

Fin


End file.
